Forever Alone
by thatonegreenpencil
Summary: Maybe it is not your life that is wrong all over. Maybe it is you. High school AU Sakura x Gaara, with other pairings.
1. Only Me

**A/N This is my first Naruto story, as well as my first angst story. I hope you enjoy it. This was inspired by Misery's-Toll's 'Somebody', which is a fantastic story.**

**This was supposed to be out Sunday, but I decided, 'Heck, why not?' **

**I'll probably update weekly.**

**Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters (which includes the epic Gaara) does not belong to me. The fanfiction 'Somebody' doesn't belong to me either.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: Only Myself<strong>

_Was always alone_

_Not loved, not hated_

_And I embraced it_

_Until it let me die._

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><p><strong>Sakura<strong>

Strawberry pink hair. Wide forehead. Evergreen eyes. Ragged clothes. Haunted face.

This is the girl that was always standing by the road. This is the girl who entered the run-down house that was always filled with emptiness. This is the girl who had no home, no friends, no family.

She took gentle steps up the stairs, like she was trying not to disturb the balance of the world. Occasionally, she dodged some invisible thing that, in her mind, was hurling towards her. The house smelled like beer and dust.

Sakura Haruno, 16, was not much of a cleaner. Her father was never home, and on those rare days he did come home, he was drunk and misguided, and hardly paid any attention to his only daughter that tried to greet him with a smile. Instead, he went upstairs and laughed and laughed and laughed. Then he was knocked out cold, until morning, when he went away again.

It wasn't always like this.

Old photo frames, old memories, dusty pictures were the only kept those good days alive and fresh in Sakura's mind. Days of real laughter, joy, family, friends…

The days when she went to school (**before ****you ****moved**) and had friends (**before ****you ****locked ****yourself ****up**) and had a wonderful time (**before ****you ****threw ****that ****away**).

She dumped the rusty cents she had earned by begging, and counted them out on the cold, dusty floor. Ten dollars. Perfect.

Munching on a stale cracker, Sakura put five more dollars in the little jar. It was almost to the three-fourth mark after two years of collecting. She suspected that her father took money out of the jar, but she didn't care. She had more money then that, of course. One-hundred dollars. But that isn't enough to feed a lonely girl. A lonely, starving girl.

_Someday, that jar will be full. And when that happens, all the birds will sing for me, and I'll have friends again. Mom will come back, and I'll live with her in a big castle that can reach; reach to the stars. _

The next day, she wakes up to a cheap alarm clock ringing her ears off. She hurriedly gets out of bed, brushes her teeth and washes her face with cold water, grabs a chocolate bar from the counter. Putting on halfway decent clothes and an unraveling wool scarf, she dashes out the door.

She hasn't gone to school for three years. Ever since she moved, she had no bravery of going to school. School here was different. There were mean kids that could actually kill you, kids that were once murderers, and boys that took advantage of defenseless girls and fulfilled their desires with them; as tools.

But, the lunch was free.

It was seven in the morning, and school started at eight thirty, but it takes more than an hour to walk to her house to school. Unless she wanted to use the highway, but that would be risky.

There was an overnight rain, causing puddles to form here and there. She didn't step in them, or jump in them, not wanting to destroy the sparkling stars that rested inside.

* * *

><p><strong>Am I pretty?<strong>

**Do I look pretty?**

**The one puddle without stars, I examine my face in it. **

**I see a dirty girl with dirty pink hair and dirty clothes. The clothes are too tight, and the girl's forehead is too large. The girl's eyes are lifeless.**

**Is that me? **

**A car whips by, soaking me from head to toe.**

**I don't mind.**

**The cold is hugging me.**

**Stars. The stars that remind me that I am not alone. Always there. Always following. Protecting.**

**I see them everywhere.**

**(But they will never really protect you)**

**Only me. And the stars. **

**(But they were never there for you)**

**I walk, feeling the hard ground as I drag my feet across.**

**(Maybe it's not the ground that's hard. Maybe it is you.)**

**Maybe it's not the stars that protect me. Maybe it's the other way around.**

**(Exactly.)**

**I walk into school, just as the bell rings, and people stare. **

**I walk to the office, and people stare.**

**Just at the door, I turn and say,**

**_Stop __staring_.**

**They turn away.**

* * *

><p>"You must be Haruno Sakura, correct?"<p>

The girl nods. The Hokage (it seems principals are called that in the Konoha schools) takes note of her messy features. "You have a guardian?"

"Yes, but they are almost always out on business…"

Sakura is just reciting the excuse that her father makes to her.

"I see. So you are an orphan?"

"Not really, but I guess you could say that."

The Hokage 'hmphs' and inspects her. "There is another orphan who attends this school, but he is always nice and clean. Remember Haruno-san, messiness is not tolerated at our school."

"Yes madam." Sakura said, looking at Tsundae.

"I like your manners. Right now is 2nd period, almost 3rd. You have five minutes to get to your next class. If you are late, you must have a pass. You will be punished if there is any misbehavior. Your locker is 1331. Here is your schedule."

She took the schedule and quietly thanked Tsundae and walked out the door.

Next period was Home Economics.

The bell rang just as Sakura reached her locker, panting. It was hard, since she dodged every star she saw, and there were quite a few in a place like this.

_So __many __dreams__…_

She tenderly reached out to catch one, but then withdrew her arm as if she were afraid of breaking it.

"New kid!"

Sakura's heart stopped. She turned slowly just to find two girls, both taller and stronger than her, smirking with a mischievous gleam in their eyes.

They laughed at her, like crows, pointing. The girl with the red hair said to her companion, "She looks like a freak! Her forehead is _huge_!"

The blond, ponytailed girl laughed with her. "I could find better excuses for clothes in a dumpster than what _she__'__s _wearing!"

"S…Stop..."

The red-haired girl's fist came out of nowhere, knocking Sakura's chin upward, making her mouth full of blood.

_Am I really that ugly?_

Another blow landed on her shoulder, causing her to be thrown back against the water fountain right next to her locker. Weirdly, the blond girl seemed almost nervous. (**Don****'****t ****like ****to ****do ****the ****dirty ****work, ****eh?**)

"Come on Karin, we're gonna be late for class…"

The red haired girl, Karin, smirked at her. "You better watch out next time, bitch."

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><p><strong>Home economics was fun.<strong>

**The teacher, Chiyo-sensei was very caring.**

**We learned sewing, which seemed to be Chiyo-sensei's specialty.**

**I met another girl, Hinata. **

**She had wide cream eyes that reflected the stars.**

**She was glowing when Chiyo-sensei praised her muffin pillow. (Jealousy jealousy)**

**Soft black hair and friendly smile.**

**Her voice shook, but that's okay.**

**Stars shake too.**

**Hinata sat with me at lunch today.**

**I told her I was new, and she said she was pretty new too. **

**She followed her cousin Neiji here**

**Since she doesn't have anyone else**

**(Family_Family_)**

**To be with.**

**She saw my bruises **

**And asked me how I got them.**

**I just said, **

"**Stars fell over me.**

**It's not their fault."**

**She looked at me funny,**

**But laughed a soft, bird laugh**

**And said she liked me.**

**I gave her my muffin from lunch**

**And she asked why.**

**I replied,**

"**I like you too."**

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><p>Sakura walked into the small, dark room that only had five desks and three chairs. It was all jammed in, giving the students hardly enough space to breathe.<p>

The teacher of Social Sciences, Asuma-sensei, seemed to be a funny and nice character. But when he scolded Kiba for throwing spit balls, his voice must've carried halfway across the whole building.

Sakura now stared at the sheet of paper that had been handed out to each of them.

"_State why World War II began."_

Sakura didn't know what 'World War II' was. So she thought differently. Changed the angle. (**Only ****if ****everything ****was ****like ****that**)

Why do wars begin? Flashes of her mother, leaving the house after an argument, a phone call, her father screaming, hitting her (**Because ****that****'****s ****all ****his ****love ****was**), leaving the house, stars…

_It's because there isn't enough love in the world._

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><p><strong>AN Please review.**


	2. Steps to Take

**Thanks to TheBlackRose123 and eva16uchiha for reviewing. =) (I'm glad you guys like it so far!)**

**Also, thanks to M. animaniac for adding this to their story alert.**

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><p><em>O, one filled with darkness,<em>

_Let the light embrace your pain_

_And wash away your troubles_

_And fears_

_And hate_

* * *

><p><strong>Sakura<strong>

**During music, I saw Karin and the other girl.**

**They kept on glaring**

**And staring**

**And talking.**

**I asked Hokage-sama if I could switch classes.**

**I didn't.**

**The teacher is nice, I guess.**

**He's tallish**

**Blondish**

**Scaryish.**

**His name is Kabuto,**

**And stars dance around his fingers.**

**Hinata does art instead of music**

**And I hate it **

**Hate it**

**Hate it. **

**But there is a nice boy in my class**

**Named Shikumaru**

**He looks bored all the time**

**But he seems nice**

**And keeps glancing **

**At the blond girl**

**Who he says is named**

'**Ino'.**

**There is another interesting boy in class**

**He is looking away all the time**

**(He doesn't want to embrace it)**

**And has black-blue hair**

**Like the night sky.**

**I ask Shikumaru his name**

**But he just shakes his head and says**

"**Just avoid him."**

**So I do.**

**There is a boy absent from class today.**

**I ask Shikumaru what his name is**

**But he just keeps winking at Ino**

**Who smiles back.**

**I ask others but**

**Everyone else seems to not care.**

* * *

><p>The last bell pierces through the air and everyone dashes out in a hurry. But Sakura takes her time, since she isn't in a hurry anyways.<p>

"_You __fucking __bitch!__"_

She feels the impact on her chest, and everything spins. She hears the high-pitched laugh coming from Ino.

"You were talking to Shikumaru, weren't you? _Weren__'__t __you?__"_

Sakura's nose starts to bleed, and she wipes it away. "I was just-"

"He's _mine! _He's mine and don't you forget it!"

Ino throws her against the locker. Tears are streaming down the blond's cheeks (**Pain****Pain**) and she punches her again and again (**Love****Love**) until Sakura's face is covered in blood.

"Stay away from him you… you… _whore._"

_Is this love?_

Sakura doesn't know what a whore is, but she can feel that it's not something pleasant. She nods silently and Ino goes away. Distantly, the pink-haired girl can hear Shikumaru's laughs. (**He ****loves ****an ****empty ****girl**)

_I am alone._

She dumps her stuff on the worn-out couch and wants to cry. But she doesn't, since she must stay strong.

The girl stopped on the market her way here, and bought some fruit. Even that was hard to buy. She couldn't beg anymore. No way to earn money.

Someone knocks on the door. He has a friendly smile, and whisker-like scars.

Hinata is with him.

"Hinata-chan?"

The girl stared at her friend in surprise. "You live _here_ Sakura-chan?" Her voice isn't scorning. It was a statement, and a true one.

"Yes, I do." She confessed. "Who's this?"

"W-well you see…"

The whiskered boy salutes to her. "Would you like to buy some muffins? They're for a good cause."

Stars surround him.

"What cause?" she asks, even though she has no money to spare.

"Myself!"

He sounds a bit selfish, before Hinata speaks up. "N-Naruto's an orphan. He doesn't have much money, and h-he's making money this way."

_He knows what loneliness is…_

"I saw you. At school. During Japanese, maybe? Were you the one Gai-sensei was encouraging because you were loud?"

"That's me! Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto responds, smiling. Sakura smiles too, because his smiles are contagious. His hair is embedded with stars. (**He ****knows ****hope**)

_How do you hide your pain?_

Hinata notices the red stains of blood on Sakura's cheek. "Sakura, what happened?"

She laughs, but it is fake and forced. "I spilled of cherry juice, silly of me, huh?"

Naruto laughs with her, not knowing the laugh is a fraud. (**Totally ****blind ****to ****the ****world**) "You managed to spill it on your face? You're even more careless than I am!"

Sakura smiles. "Yeah."

Hinata glances at her suspiciously, but doesn't speak. Sakura fidgets.

"Here. Take a muffin." Naruto raises the sweet smelling muffin to her mouth. It smells like blueberries.

"I couldn't-"

"No, I insist. Take it."

She takes the soft delight in her dirty hands. "Thank you Uzumaki-kun." She breathes out.

"Call me Naruto."

* * *

><p><strong>Naruto left<strong>

**But Hinata stayed**

**And went into my house.**

**I thought she would make fun of me**

**But she said it seemed like a cozy place**

**To live in.**

**I asked her to show me her house sometimes**

**But she said her cousin, Neiji, doesn't like strangers coming to her house.**

**She compared schedules with me**

**And I discovered **

**We had Home Economics, Biology, and Math together.**

**We talked and talked**

**Until she had to go home.**

"**Will you visit me again?"**

**Stars glowed in her eyes. **

"**Of course."**

**(Friend Friend)**

**Dad came home today**

**Blabbering about **

**Drugs and smut.**

**He took the muffin**

**And gobbled it**

**And threw it back up.**

**(Wasted)**

**He fell asleep on his bed.**

**I cleaned the mess up**

**Since no one else would do it.**

**The stars**

**Danced around me**

**And kept me company.**

**I crept into his room **

**When he was sleeping**

**And took some money.**

**I felt kind of bad**

**But the stars didn't hold me back. **

**(Guilt guilt)**

* * *

><p>Sakura woke up to the sound of her alarm clock that is blaring. The stench of fresh alcohol is agonizing as it fills the room.<p>

It has been two days.

Today she is wearing a sweater that will hopefully cover up the ripped t-shirt underneath. Her pants are a pair of baggy jeans she found at Goodwill; hopefully they won't fall apart.

She begins her long trek to school, reminding herself to buy some pencils. The morning air is chilly, and it nips at the holes in her jeans. Her shoes are dirty, but again, she doesn't mind.

Some stars are still out, since, weirdly, it is very dark for 7 in the morning. They glimmer like shards of light.

_Can __you __see __me, __Mom? __Are __you __proud?_

The latter doesn't seem likely.

(**Because ****she ****never ****cared**, **or ****said ****goodbye.**)

The real stars are different from the multi-colored stars that surround Sakura's vision. The real ones seem to hold more hope than the fake stars. (**There****'****s ****no ****such ****thing ****as ****hope ****for ****people ****like ****you ****dear.**)

"Yo, Sakura!"

Naruto comes running up, hair messy and clothes wrinkled. He smoothes out both of these, and smiles. She hasn't seen him for a day.

"You're up early."

"You live close by here?"

"Yeah. That's great, 'cause we can walk together!"

Sakura smiles at him. He inspects her. "Did you like the muffin?"

"It was great!" She lies. She doesn't want him to know that it was wasted.

"I'm glad you think so."

They chat like old friends, talking about school, teachers, and classmates.

"Where does Hinata live?" Sakura wonders, almost to herself.

"She actually lives close by to where I live, but she gets a ride with her cousin Neiji."

Neiji. Sakura imagines him as a mirror image of Hinata, but with a bit of a prankster attitude, like Naruto.

A sleek, black limo drives by both of them. It has tinted windows, so she doesn't see what's inside.

"I wonder who that's for." She remarks, watching it drive away.

Naruto starts to speak, but is drowned out by the nearby sound of shouting, running, talking children as the school approaches.

He grabs his hand. Sakura enjoys the warmth that spreads through her, making her tingle. "Come on! We're going to be late!"

* * *

><p><strong>I had speech today.<strong>

**Orochimaru-sensei hisses his 's' like a snake. **

**Karin is in my class**

**But so is Lee**

**That night-haired boy with dark eyes**

**Who I'm supposed to avoid.**

**Lee is**

**An energetic person**

**Who said I was pretty.**

**No one had ever said that before.**

**There is a boy who sits in the corner**

**Silent**

**Like he is waiting for something**

**To happen. **

**(Stotic. Alone like you.)**

**He has violent red hair**

**That reminds me of blood**

**And a tattoo**

**That spells the kanji for 'love'.**

**Has he ever felt love,**

**Or does he just do that**

**So he will someday feel it?**

**He carries a big gourd **

**That is cracked in many places.**

**He has sea foam green eyes**

**That are faded out**

**Like they are disappearing **

**From the world. **

**(Just like you.)**

**There are no stars around him,**

**None at all.**

**I want to talk to him**

**But he is sitting far away**

**Drawing something.**

**Instead, I sit next to Neiji**

**Who has pale eyes**

**And a stern face**

**And long hair.**

**I mentioned Hinata to him**

**And he stiffens**

**And turned away**

**Like it was a crime to talk about her.**

**Does Hinata feel**

**Like she is a crime?**

**A sin?**

**A dishonor?**

**Neiji doesn't talk to me**

**For the rest**

**Of class.**

* * *

><p>Sakura waited for Hinata on the end of the table, avoiding other kids and moving away from them as far as possible. The lunch was some kind of stew with potatoes and carrots floating on the top.<p>

Hinata comes and smiles, then sits next to me. "H-How are you today, Sakura?"

"Fine." She sips from her bowl, and then blows on it to cool it down.

They don't talk much, and both of them don't feel like eating, so they leave the lunchroom early. Together, they sit on the grass, enjoying the cool breeze of fall.

Someone throws a rock at Hinata, and it bounces off the side of her head. She winces slightly, but doesn't bother her.

"Whore."

Hinata freezes. Sakura stands up and shouts at Ino, "You've got no right to call her that!"

The girl smirks back. "I call her what she is. She is a _whore_." She turns to Hinata. "Who did you do it with this time, huh?"

"I-I d-didn't-"

Hinata sounds like she's about to cry. "Stop it!" Sakura shouts.

Ino steps up to them and pushes Sakura out of the way, making her land on the grass. "You're not involved in this."

Hinata pulls back, but Ino is too quick. There is a dash of flesh and red, and Hinata's mouth is covered in blood.

"S-stop-"She tries to gurgle but is cut off by a kick in the stomach. Ino's eye's flash glamorously. Sakura gets up and tries to pull her back.

"_STOP __IT! __STOP __IT __YOU __BITCH!__"_ (**You****'****re ****just ****one ****of ****them ****now)**

Ino is frozen in shock for a heartbeat, but then delivers a punch to her face. (**Hurt. ****Blood. ****Pain.**) Stars swirl around Sakura as she falls to the floor.

Another shadow approaches them. Ino squeals, and there is the sound of body hitting earth. The shadow leaves, and a familiar voice calls out to them.

"Hinata? Sakura?"

Ino growls, and runs, only to be stopped by Shikumaru. The usually calm face is now disoriented with anger. (**Love. ****Broken.**)

"S-Shikumaru!" Ino squeaks, barely making a sound.

He glares at the ponytailed blond. "We need to have a talk."

"Are you okay?" Naruto helps me get up. Stars are still dancing around.

"Hinata-sama!"

I see the blurred face of Neiji. He comes running up to Hinata, who is crying. He murmurs soothing words and helps her up. (**That ****is ****what ****you ****don****'****t ****have.)**

"Who was…"

"Who was what?"

"That person… Helped…"

Naruto shook his head. "The only one who was even around here was Gaara, and he doesn't like to get involved. And besides, he was more that 300 yards away. How could he have gotten there in such a short time?"

"G..Gaara?" Sakura thinks of the red-headed boy whom stars seemed to avoid. He has an almost dark aura around him.

"Come on, let's get you cleaned up."

* * *

><p>Hinata doesn't come to the next class, because she's gone home. The nurse didn't question what happened to her and Sakura, and just checked their wounds. <em>These <em>_things __must __happen __a __lot._

She was sitting at her desk, silent, while Jiraiya-sensei talked about the parts of a frog. Sakura dreaded the day when they actually had to dissect a frog. Karin was passing notes to Sasori, Naruto looked bored and sometimes sent her funny faces. But Sakura's attention was on Gaara, who was staring blankly at his desk.

_His eyes look so empty._

**(Just like his soul.)**

The multi-colored stars dissolve as soon as they get close to him. The red headed boy doesn't really react at much.

The bell rings, and students scurry out the door. Gaara blinks, and realizes the bell has rung. He gets up.

Sakura makes his way toward him, but a stiff hand pulls her back.

"Don't go near him Sakura. He's not normal." The gruff, doglike voice of Kiba warns her. He doesn't notice Naruto approach from behind.

"There's nothing wrong with him! He's just…"

"Weird? A murderer? A monster?"

The girl shifts uncomfortablely, since Gaara is right there within perfect hearing distance. Gaara looks at the two boys, gives them a little nod, like he is accepting their words, and walks away.

"What's wrong with Gaara?"

"Nothing."

"Everything."

They start to bicker again, and Sakura leaves them, heading to her locker.

* * *

><p><strong>AN Deleted Scene time! This was supposed to be after music, in Social Sciences. **

* * *

><p>"Sakura."<p>

She turns, facing Asuam-sensei. Knowing herself, she knows that he is talking about her failing already.

_A __dishonor_.

"Yes, Asuma-sensei?"

He holds out a sheet of paper for her to see. It was the sheet of paper she got during the first day of class.

He points at the question where she put down 'There isn't enough love in the world."

"Am…I in trouble?"

"Trouble? No. It was just a very philosophical answer, that's all. You're different Sakura.

She blushes, and grabs the sheet of paper and tucks it safely away into her pocket.

"I have high expectations, Sakura."

* * *

><p><strong>AN This took less time then I thought it would. Well, I stayed up until 3 yesterday, finishing this, so I guess that explains it. Please review. I would really appreciate it.**


	3. Help

**Reviewers: M. animaniac, Cindy Medeiros**

**Favoriters: mangolovingemoninja, PenanceGirl, wierdpony115, Cindy Medeiros**

**Thank you all _so_ much!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto of any of its characters. Neither do I own Pachelbel Canon.**

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><p><em>A heart that is broken<em>

_A friendship that is destroyed_

_And a lonely person at the end of life._

_They can only create pain._

* * *

><p><strong>Sakura<strong>

It was music class.

Kabuto asked everyone to guess the song as some of the students played it. Sakura, knowing no songs at all, knew she was going to fail.

Shikamaru offered to play the guitar, finally turning away from Ino, who had red eyes and makeup blurred on her face. Tenten went to play the piano. All that was left was the violin case in the corner.

Gaara stood up and silently walked to the violin. Taking it out, he tuned it with Shikamaru.

Kabuto each gave them a piece of music and set it lightly on the music stands. The sensei nodded, and they began playing in harmony.

The music spread through the air like a sweet aroma, and each note filled Sakura's heart with joy. To her, it seemed to go up and down a bit, and then fade into one strum. But that's not what surprised her the most.

Gaara's ability to play on the violin was outstanding. His bow danced across the instrument and rolled across the strings. Each note was perfect, not too high, not too flat.

The other student (having seen this many times before) mostly paid attention to the people around them, whispering and using the music as a cover. When the music ended, a few of them clapped absent-mindedly. Sakura was still frozen at the beauty of the music.

"Now, who can guess the name of this piece?"

A few hands went up, including Sasuke's.

"Pachelbel Canon in G."

_His __voice __is __so __quiet._ (**Because ****he d****oesn****'****t ****want ****to ****be ****heard****…**)

"Good Sasuke." Kaubto's eyes were gleaming.

* * *

><p>She is still staring at the red-haired boy that has love carved into his forehead. She approaches him after class ends.<p>

"You did a great job, you know."

He is silent. Sakura observes his pale sea foam eyes and spiky hair that looks very soft. It is the color of blood. It reminds her of blood.

"Where did you learn to play violin?"

More silence.

"Where do you live?"

There is a flash of anger and something more in his eyes. He steps toward Sakura, and even though she is taller than him (_surprising, looking at the small amount of sleep and food she gets_), he looks threatening.

"Go away." He growls, and walks away. **(Hate ****devouring, ****love ****gone)**

But that isn't what catches Sakura's attention.

It is that there are no stars around him. No stars at all.

She catches up to his fast pace, and stalks him until he reaches his locker. No one ever seems to notice him.

The bell has rung, and everyone is now rushing to get home. Within minutes the halls are empty and they are alone.

"Do you want help with that?"

He doesn't meet Sakura's eyes. The girl bends down and starts to pick up some of his stuff.

"Why?"

She looks at him questioningly. His voice is smooth and silky, but his face… Is so hard and expressionless.

"Why what?"

"Why are you helping me?"

To be honest, she doesn't have an answer. Gaara's voice rises. "I'm a monster. You've heard it too. Go away."

"I don't want to."

He pushes her, making her fall to the ground.

"Gaara!"

Naruto runs up, dropping all his stuff on the ground. Hinata follows, coaxing Sakura up. Her pale eyes are blazing with fear.

Naruto grabs the other boy's shoulder. "What the hell are you-"

Gaara picks up all of his stuff hurriedly and runs out. There is a girl with spiky blond pigtails talking to Shikamaru at the end of the hallway.

"Gaara!"

But he is gone. (**Like ****always, ****everyone****'****s ****running****…****)**

Naruto pats Sakura on the back. "Sorry about Gaara. But I don't think… You should stay away."

Sakura looks back at the blond boy, and then Hinata, who is smiling and reaching out for her hand. She grasps the other hand, and feels the love.

Does Hinata feel love?

They walk home together, hand in hand, drinking in the scents of autumn. Birds chirp, people laugh, and for the first time since her mother died, Sakura feels truly happy.

She goes to Hinata's house and has a smoothie. Neiji is there, but he barely notices them as he spares with Tenten. His hair is flowing as he jumps and dodges, Tenten copying his moves like a reflection. But she can't confuse him.

Hinata watches in admiration, but Naruto looks bored. He explains to Sakura he's seen this plenty of times before.

"Why is Gaara so alone?"

Naruto sighed, and turned to look at her.

"He… You gotta…"

She waits patiently for his answer.

"He's different. A lot of troubles in the past, not many people really care about him. He has his own problems, and prefers to be left alone."

She thinks about the stars that avoid him and nods.

"His brother died awhile ago, and he's depressed about that too. Don't mind his attitude, Sakura. In fact, avoid him."

To Sakura, it is weird seeing Naruto so serious. It is even weirder seeing Naruto tell her to avoid his friend. (**But ****are ****they ****true ****friends?**) He said the same thing Kiba said.

"A…Avoid him?"

Naruto looks guilty, but he nods. "It's better for everyone. Including Gaara."

* * *

><p><strong>It was nice of <strong>

**Naruto to walk me home **

**Today. **

**It would've been lonely**

**And he kept me happy with jokes**

**And his laughs that can spread to others.**

**I just wish that I could feel like this**

**Everyday**

**And just be like this**

**Forever.**

**But I can't**

**And everyone knows that.**

**(Do you mind?)**

**I wave goodbye to him**

**In front of his old, wooden house**

**And head to _my_ old, wooden house**

**With the little well behind it**

**Covered with alcohol**

**And beer cans.**

**I sit down**

**On my mother's rocking chair**

**(Never coming back)**

**And rock**

**Rock**

**Rock**

**And work on homework.**

**It starts to rain**

**But I'm protected**

**By the roof over my head.**

**A boy is walking down the street**

**Across from my house**

**And he looks **

**Empty**

**Empty **

**Empty.**

**He is getting soaked**

**And the gourd on his back**

**Is turning dark**

**And his blood-red hair**

**Is turning scarlet.**

**But he doesn't seem to mind**

**And walks**

**And walks **

**Down the road**

**Without a care**

**In the world.**

**His expression is **

**Unreadable. **

**He stops and stares at the sky**

**(Does he want to go to the stars?)**

**And looks at the darkening clouds**

**(Does he want to be free?)**

**Suddenly his head jerks**

**And his pale sea foam eyes**

**Stare at _me_**

**And I look away.**

**He looks away too**

**And continues on his path.**

**(Lonely Lonely path.)**

**I wonder if there is something to eat**

**And I find nothing.**

**The stars surround me**

**But it means nothing.**

**Nothing.**

_**Please. Help me. Love me.**_

_**Fill that hole in my heart.**_

**I suddenly grow violent**

**A weird wave of heat coming over**

**And I slap the unreal stars away.**

**I'm not in control anymore.**

**(Have you ever?)**

"_**GET THE HELL AWAY!"**_

**Tears drip down my face**

**And I slam the door,**

**Crying.**

* * *

><p><strong>Ino<strong>

She was the queen of all things, the master, the one who was on top. She had a boyfriend, a nice life, money, everything a girl could wish for.

Or so it seemed.

Her mother and father were always fighting, hitting each other. Money, hmph, she would rather be broke than do what she does almost every night.

Ino remembers the nights where she was happy, eating cakes with mommy and daddy, laughing and being spun around and around until it felt like she was flying, flying away from the worries of the world.

But something had snapped. Her daddy doesn't work, her mommy never comes home. So she goes out to kids behind the allyways and corners on dark nights and get drunk. Her stomach is filled with alcohol and she goes around doing crazy things.

She has killed before.

Money she gets from robbing stores and selling to black markets. She never knew Shikamaru knew about these nights.

He explained it all, after he had seen her hit Sakura. He wanted to give her a chance, and ignored it. Again and again and again. But harming others was the last straw.

She loved him for his righteousness, but hated him for being too kind.

"IT'S ALL _YOUR_ FAULT! BASTARD! YOU STINKING LYING BASTARD! YOU SHOULD'VE STOPPED ME, DAMN IT!"

Shikamaru nods his head, accepting that it _is_ his fault. Ino hates him even more, tears spilling over her face.

"SCREAM! SHOUT! PUNCH! WHY AREN'T YOU ANGRY? _WHY __DON__'__T __YOU __HATE __ME?__"_

Shikamaru looks away.

"I could never hate you Ino."

The same day, she saw him with a blond girl, just like her. But this Temari has spiky pigtails and she is more pure than she will ever be. He has moved on, so she will too.

And she does. Her body longs for lust, so she gives in. She gets money and pleasure.

But it is not enough, isn't it?

Sakura. This is all Sakura's fault, she tells herself. She murmurs this over and over again next to her locker. The only person there is that weird kid Gaara, who barely seems to be paying attention. He is drawing something that looks strangely like a deflated heart with knives sticking out all over it.

Ino walks away. It is already 6:30, and she is late. Late late late. (**Not ****that ****anyone ****would ****care.)**

That's when she realizes that Gaara is Temari's brother. Drove mad by rage, she gets into his face slaps him. He trembles, but his face is emotionless as ever. She stomps her feet on the ground, and he walks away.

_Stupid._

Since she has nothing better to do, Ino walks back home, dreading the screams and sounds of slapping that will await her there.

Her soft, blond hair blows in the wind, and she sighs, shivering against the cold.

_I hate you!_


	4. A Heart That Can't Be Healed

**A/N Reviewers: PenanceGirl, Cindy Medeiros (Thank you for taking the time to give feedback to this story!)**

**Story Alerters: Yuuki-Hime 2097, soulreaperforever, violentblossom, NZ-Suzane, PurpleLeopard, ObjectedPrincess**

**Seriously, I smile every time I get one of these emails. Thank you all so much. :)**

**Disclaimer: The quote below is mine, Naruto is not.**

* * *

><p><em>You promise the things that are impossible<em>

_And I laugh at you._

_You care for me, comfort me,_

_And I scream at you._

_But when you say that you're my friend_

_I will not speak with words_

_But instead with my heart._

* * *

><p><strong>Sakura<strong>

Weeks pass by, and soon October was almost ending.

Naruto and Hinata walked with her on most days, and sometimes Kiba and Neiji joined them. Sasuke (as she found out the boy was called) avoided them, but sometimes stole glances at them, and Ino did as well. Well, Sasuke's glances were more of questioning looks, and Ino's glances more of glares. Karin kept her distance.

**(Bullies aren't anything when you're surrounded by friends.)**

Shikamaru hung out with that blond often, who was named Temari. Sakura asked her if she was Gaara's sister, and Temari just shook her head quickly and went away.

_Cousins __maybe? _**(Not ****wanted, ****not ****seen)**

Gaara was mostly alone, drawing and disappearing. Naruto was sometimes there to talk to him, the blond boy doing most of the talking while Gaara just listened and nodded once in awhile.

Kiba once had asked him why he even talked to him. Naruto had glared at replied, "He doesn't have anyone else. And he listens, doesn't he?"

It was Naruto's birthday soon, right on Halloween. Hinata asked Sakura if she wanted to have a party for him, and soon they were talking about it through the boring classes and quiet hallways.

Sakura was happy, in the loosest definition.

But she dreaded the days when her father came home, usually with a woman. They stared and laughed at her, and she ran up to her room with the stars that surrounded her.

She sat out alone during the quiet evenings on the rocking chair, observing the boy that had the blood red hair that passed the house everyday, after catching sight of her.

There weren't any houses on that side of the road, nor were there any other form of structures at all. People-especially in the evenings- barely walked along the cracked pavement.

It was interesting. The red haired boy usually just stood there, looking toward the buildings and did his best to avoid eye contact with Sakura. Once, there was a blue-black haired boy with him. The boy shouted at the red haired boy, before leaving in anger.

She wished she knew what he was saying.

* * *

><p><strong>Ino<strong>

Broken.

_Broken._

_BROKEN._

She is broken like a china doll that has cracked on the floor and was thrown away.

Her life is full of screams and moans, every night. Her grades drop and drop, but she doesn't care. As long as she gets that feeling of bliss that pound in her veins every night, she doesn't care about _anything_. It's the only thing that keeps her together.

(**The ****only ****thing ****that ****is ****destroying ****her ****from ****the ****inside**)

She had heard Hinata talk about Naruto's birthday party with Sakura. She had stayed hidden long enough to know that the party would be very soon, at Hinata's house.

Now, her thoughts were set on revenge. It was _Sakura__'__s_ fault that her life was ruined, so she longed to get even.

Hinata was also a target. The heiress was doing the exact same thing as her, but was her life ruined? No. In fact, it was getting better by the day.

Revenge.

Temari too.

Maybe with her brother.

A flare of orange burst up deep inside her, and she smiled wickedly.

_**Let the feelings take you over, my dear.**_

Every last one of them.

Until they fall and wither away.

"Ino-chan!"

The sudden voice snaps her out of her daze. She sees Tenten waving her over towards her table, smiling.

(**You ****don****'****t ****deserve ****it, ****you ****know.**)

_I know._

But the blond sits with her (supposed) friend anyways, smiling and laughing. No one suspects anything.

That evening, she manages to smuggle out some flammable drugs from one of the boys she had worked on before. Her payment is another session, and she promises that. Her plan slowly fits into place in her mind.

And she laughs.

* * *

><p><strong>Sakura<strong>

It is raining that evening.

It was another normal day at school. Her grades weren't the best, and she practically fails at gym, but Kakashi-sensei pretends to take no notice.

Sakura walks home with Hinata, since Naruto has to go to Kiba's house for a project. Together, they take shelter under the umbrella Hinata brought, talking excitedly about the party. She feels like a bunch of fifth graders, giggling and laughing.

And that's good.

Now, she's on the porch, munching on some cookies she baked in Home Economy the other day. Money isn't a problem anymore, since she's managed to get a job at the local store, not too far away. Naruto works there too.

She is happy for the first time in two years.

The boy comes again, still on the other side of the road, his red hair darken than ever because of the rain that is now pouring down. She feels sorry for him, and almost gets up from her seat to talk to him.

Almost.

Now she feels like a stalker, since she's been watching him for almost two months now and she never told him, and she doesn't even know his name.

He stands there for the longest time, looking out into his own world, silent. Waiting for _something._ (**A ****miracle.**)

Sakura begins to head back in when the stars start to swirl and dance around her violently. She staggers, trying to shoo them away.

(**It****'****s ****not ****real! **_**Fight **__**it **__**Haruno!**_**)**

She tries, she really does, but she can't. The stars are innocent, so she can't can't _can__'__t_ hurt them.

She stops batting at them, but they still swirl around. She turns, to see nothing. The boy is still there, there is a car passing by, its light reflecting on the puddles in the water…

She freezes. She closes her eyes and opens them again, just to confirm that what she is staring at is real.

The puddle closest to the boy is _red_.

Her eyes dart around, absorbing even more details. The ground beneath the boy is reddish black, and it is spreading around, making a sort of crimson pattern beneath him. There is something shiny in the boy's hand and he is staggering slipping _falling_-

Her breathing gets faster and faster, and she throws down the cookie in her hand and runs across the street. There is a car heading straight towards her, honking its horn violently. She ignores it, and picks up speed in her legs.

(**RUN****RUN**_**RUN!**_**)**

The car skids on the water and swirls around before coming to a halt at the edge of the road, less than a foot from the sidewalk. The owner gets out, screaming.

"_What __the __hell __do __you __think __you__'__re __doing? __You __bitch, __I __could__'__ve __fucking __died!__"_

He keeps on screaming, his face rapidly turning purple. But Sakura ignores him (**he****'****s ****just ****like ****your ****father, ****isn****'****t ****he?**) and runs to the boy. Now all the cement around him is turning varying shades of red, and his blood red hair is covering his face. His head is turned towards the ground.

The pink haired girl pales when she sees a knife in one hand. It is crossing over on the other arm. Gently, she pushes it away.

There is a deep scratch on his wrist.

She looks around the street for help (even the car owner has gone) and finds none. Carefully, she tugs him onto her shoulder. In a jerking movement, the boy pushes her away, even though he is barely conscious.

"G..Go..."

His arms are wrapped around something, she realizes. She attempts to approach him once more, but his reaction is the same. And he is close to losing consciousness.

She flips him around so his head is facing the sky. She tugs an item from his now fragile grip.

It is a giant gourd.

* * *

><p><strong>Oh no no no no<strong>

**He's dying and fading and going**

**And no help no help**

**And what do I do, there's no phone or anything**

**And I can't get my mind straight**

**I push his hair away from his pale face **

**There's the kanji 'Ai' beneath on his forehead**

**And dark circles around his eyes**

_**Gaara?**_

**I run, run, run**

**Even when I run inside the house**

**I keep an eye on him**

**The stars swirling and **

**I can't keep _focus_**

**I pick up the school directory**

**I got a few days ago**

**And call Temari. **

**(Do you even know if she can help?)**

"**Hello? Who is this?"**

**Her soft voice comes from the other end **

**I'm running toward Gaara again**

**Who's getting paler and paler**

"**Your brother- He's hurt!"**

**There's a silence, and the sound of her hanging up.**

_**No hope**_

_**NO HOPE**_

**I grab the piece of cloth I brought outside**

**And wrap it around his wrist**

**With trembling fingers**

**And he jerks away**

**But I can't just _leave __him_**

**(Isolated. Alone.)**

**I can still hear him shout**

'**_Go __away__'_**

**Is this the boy I've seen in school?**

**He looks so so _so_ fragile**

**When he looked so _scary_**

**Now I think nobody cares**

**I remember I saw someone do this on a movie once**

**What did they call it?**

**So long ago…**

**There's a black limo coming towards us**

**And for a moment I think **

**That it's his time**

**And he's going (going gone)**

**But I realize it's Temari**

**Who parks the car **

**And violently takes Gaara **

**(So pale…)**

**And jerks him away**

**And shoves him violently into the black limo**

**But I know she didn't mean it like that**

**Since I see her hands shaking**

**And her lips trembling**

**And she tells me,**

"**Mention this to _no __one. __Forget __about __him. __Stay __away._"**

**(So many times, people have said that)**

**And she leaves**

**But I can't help think about the boy**

**Who tried to commit**

_**Suicide**_

**And he looked so _pale_.**

**The blood still stains the ground**

**And is floating away into the grass**

**Becoming a healing thing**

**And then I wonder**

**How did she knows**

**Who I was**

**Or where I even _lived_?**

* * *

><p><strong>The next day,<strong>

**I look for Gaara during class**

**Remember him looking**

**So _pale_**

**And I have to admit**

**I'm a bit scared**

**Of how he tried **

**To _kill_ himself**

**And I try to force the image out of my mind**

**But it won't. Get. Out.**

* * *

><p><strong>Math is with Anko-sensei<strong>

**But I'm hardly paying attention to Lee's declares of youth**

**Neiji's scoffs**

**Shikamaru's groans**

**Or Hinata's blushes **

**And Anko-sensei**

**Stares at me**

**And raises her voice**

**But I'm still not listening**

**To _anything_**

**(Worried about someone, Sakura?)**

**And I dash out the door as soon as the bell rings**

**I run into Naruto**

**And he flinches, taking a step back.**

"**Woah! Careful S-"**

"**_HaveyouseenGaaratoday?__"_**

**My words are hurried and slurred**

**And Naruto blinks**

**His hair is waving **

**And spiky**

**And **

_**FOCUS!**_

**Naruto taps me on the shoulder.**

"**Are you okay Sakura?"**

**I force myself to calm down.**

"**Have you seen Gaara today?"**

**He shakes his head. **

"**I haven't seen him during Math…"**

**I start to panic again**

**Sweating, running over all the possibilities**

_**What's if he's dead?**_

**Naruto grasps my hand tightly**

**And says,**

"**It's okay."**

**But it's _not_**

**And it won't _ever_ be.**

**He walks me to Japanese**

**And on the way we see Kiba**

**Who has a puppy under his coat.**

**He says it's his**

**And he brought it to school today**

**Since there was nobody home at his house**

**And the puppy would feel alone.**

**I look at the puppy**

**And think about how lucky it is**

**To have someone really love it**

**And care for it.**

"**What's its name?" Naruto asks.**

"**Akamaru. We found a bunch of boys spray-painting him red."**

**I gasp, but I'm not heard since the bell rings.**

**Kiba carefully puts the puppy back into his coat**

**And they share a smile (Without you)**

**And we all head back to class.**

* * *

><p>Sakura doesn't see Gaara for the rest of school.<p>

But instead, the girl sees Temari. The blond is talking to Shikamaru, as usual, beside the main doors. They are in a heated discussion about wind pressure. Sakura, seeing them so happy, is almost sorry to interrupt them.

"Um, Temari-san?"

She stops mid-sentence and turns to her.

"You're that girl from yesterday." Temari says flatly, a spark of annoyance in her eyes. "Excuse me Shikamaru."

Shikamaru looks at her curiously. "What happened yesterday?"

Sakura almost blurts out the answer, but Temari taps her shoulder, warning her. "Nothing important. Just a bit of a problem with my brother, that's all."

Shikamaru glances back and forth between the two girls. "If you say so. I'll be waiting right here then."

Temari nods, and leads Sakura around the side of the building and stops at a corner.

"Why not tell Shikamaru?"

Temari's eyes waver around uneasily. "My brother isn't… I mean, not many people like him, so.."

"How is he?"

Temari fidgets, looking uncomfortable. "I… Haven't been home since yesterday. I just dropped him off at our house and left…"

"_What? _He was _bleeding __to __death!_ Why didn't you take him to the hospital?"

"Otou-san will do a perfectly good job of taking care of him." Temari snaps, now on the defensive.

"_Will __do?__"_ Sakura fumes, not believing her ears.

"I told you, I don't know about his condition!"

"What if he _died?_"

"Then it would be better for the world!"

The blond regrets the words as soon as they are out of her mouth.

Sakura is fuming, her anger threatening to burst out of her. "_And __you __call __yourself __his __SISTER?__"_

"Well you're _not_ his sister, so stay out of his business!"

"It's my business because I was _there! _I _saw_ him bleeding to death-"

"_You __don__'__t __know __what __he__'__s __done!__"_ Temari screams. Sakura stops, frozen in shock. Temari blinks and slowly shrinks away from her. The blond is murmuring quietly to herself, and Sakura strains her ears to listen.

"Okaasan… Yashamaru… _Kankuro__…_"

Sakura says nothing.

When Temari raises her head, her ice blue eyes are drilling into the pink haired girl. "You don't know _anything._"

She turns away, and vanishes around the corner. Sakura is frozen in shock.

Looking down at the pavement, she sees a dapple of tears.

* * *

><p><strong>AN I know that Naruto's birthday is on October 10th. Not everyone's birthdays will be the same as in the real manga/anime. The POV's are not underlined. Why? Because fanfiction won't let me. =P**

** Please review. Please? **


	5. Temporary Peace, version 1

**A/N Thank you for waiting! **

**This chapter is kind of a 'what could happen' (I really don't know what to call it…) chapter of Naruto's birthday. I guess I'll call it the 'happy' version of Naruto's birthday. Since I just really want a break on all this angst (since there's more on the horizon), and there _have_ been some PMs to me about the angst level of this story. **

**So the next chapter will be the more angsty 'what could happen' version of Naruto's birthday. You can read either one, since no matter which one you read; it won't affect the plot in any way. So if you want to read this one, feel free. If you don't, don't. This version has a lot more GaaSaku than the other one. **

**Many thanks to:**

**PenanceGirl, Cindy Mederios, and awesomesaucechick for reviewing!  
><strong>

**And everyone who favorited or added this to their story alerts! (sorry for not posting your names... Gmail pulled this weird trick on me that deleted every single one of my emails... D:) **

**Disclaimer: Naruto isn't mine, neither are any of its characters.**

* * *

><p><em>I wanna save the world someday…<em>

_But I guess I can save your heart too._

* * *

><p><strong>Sakura<strong>

Now she is happy.

It is the day before Naruto's birthday, and everything is set up and ready to go. Sakura is excited, along with Hinata who seems to be going as red as a tomato whenever she sees something yellow.

They are both at Hinata's spacious house which is filled with ornaments and decorations for the upcoming party. Both Neiji and his father are out until Tuesday for a fencing tournament, so 'it's all timed perfectly' as Hinata says.

Sakura can feel the Hyuga girl's swelling pride at all the planning they've done. She can also tell that the timid girl wants her enthusiastic friend (and that's an understatement) to have a good time.

And Sakura can't help but feel proud too, when she inspects everything once more, to make sure it's perfect. The glittering pumpkin ornaments on the ceilings that reflect an eerie orange glow should all the lights be turned off. The little reflective-tape candies on the walls and furniture Sakura had made herself, going along perfectly with all the fake spiderwebs Kurenai donated when she had heard that there was going to be a party for Naruto.

In fact, just to not ruin the decorations, Hinata was going to be sleeping at her house tonight.

Feeling just _dandy_ with herself, she skips off to the kitchen to grab them both something to eat. But secretly, she prays that her father wouldn't come home tonight.

Hinata is currently calling Kiba, Shikamaru, Shino, Sasuke, Tenten, and Lee to ask them if they could come. Sakura is sure that all of them will say yes (even though Tenten is a bit iffy) so she just quietly watches the stained glass ornaments tinkle with each other, making a music all their own.

Hinata hangs up from the last call with a click, and smiles widely. "All of them can come, Sakura-chan!" Though her voice is timid, there is a coat of excitement under it, just waiting to bust out.

The only hard part will be keeping it secret, something Hinata really doesn't do very well.

It has been planned out that Kiba, Hinata, and Sasuke will be the ones to distract Naruto for about an hour while the rest get everything extra ready (food and such) and do the classic 'jump out from behind furniture as he/she walks in through the door' act when he arrives.

They giggle and gossip like little girls as they eat the cookies that were stored in the pantry.

Putting away all the paper, pencils, and cookies, they leave to begin their short walk to Sakura's house.

Both girls discuss about the upcoming party, all the preparations to make it absolutely perfect for Naruto. Hinata really seems to care about the blond boy that defends her so often.

(**Love ****at ****work.**)

"What?"

Sakura realizes that she accidentally said this out loud, and starts to stammer. "I-I didn't- I meant- I mean-"

Hinata is pure red now, and Sakura swears she sees smoke coming out of the girl's ears. "L-Lets pretend that never happened."

Sakura silently agrees and the rest of their walk is filled with silence.

It is night, and Sakura is on the floor next to her bed, which is now occupied by Hinata. The pink-haired girl watches the other girl sleep, looking at the gentle rise and fall of her chest and listening to her soft snores.

The moonlight streaming in from the window opposite of the bed, giving Hinata a kind of ghost like look, the silvery glow reflecting off the girl's pale skin…

Sakura glances at the clock. Fading green numbers say '1:53'. She silently groans and puts a small pillow over her face.

The sudden ring from the phone makes her jump in fright. Quickly swiping it off the desk, she hisses, "Hello?"

"…"

* * *

><p><strong>I'm not in the best of moods.<strong>

**I'm not asleep (there's school today)**

**Some person calls me at 2 in the morning**

**Not even saying a _word_**

**And doesn't even ask for someone**

**Something**

_**Anything**_

**I want them to say _something_**

**So I can politely tell them**

**That they have the wrong number**

**And I want to go back to sleep.**

**But I can't**

**So I think about hanging up**

**But then a quiet**

**Dry voice**

**Comes out.**

"…**Hello."**

**I bite back a retort**

**And answer**

"**Why are you calling me?"**

"**Temari told me to."**

_**Gaara?**_

**For some reason, my breath is speeding up**

**Face turning red**

**And I stammer out**

"**A-At this hour?"**

"**Sorry."**

**When I don't respond, he continues.**

"**Temari said you were worried about me."**

"**Mostly Naruto." **

**I don't get it.**

**Why am I lying?  
><strong>

"**Sorry about calling you this early."**

**My head is spinning. **

"**Temari told me to call earlier, but I didn't know what I could say…"**

"**That's alright. Are you okay?"**

**He's silent for awhile, but I don't mind.**

**He's Gaara.**

"**I'm fine." He says shortly.**

**I can detect the pain in his voice, however faint.**

"**Why did you do it?"**

"**I wasn't thinking clearly.**

**I'm sorry… That I was an inconvenience."**

**There is no emotion in Gaara's voice**

**Even though **

**He had tried to end his own life.**

**Shouldn't he at least be sad**

**That he failed?**

**I can almost see his blank face**

**And calm features **

**As he talks on the phone.**

**With _her._**

**(He hates you. He hit you.)**

"**When are you coming back to school?"**

"**Tell Naruto that I'm sorry."**

**He is deliberately moving away from the question…**

"**You can tell him yourself."**

**Silence.**

**There is a click.**

**I stare at the phone through the darkness.**

**I remember how the stars seemed to avoid him.**

**I remember how empty he looked.**

**I drift off to sleep, thinking about **

**Pink-haired girls**

**And red-haired boys **

**That can fly to the stars**

**And stay there forever.**

* * *

><p>School was good to Sakura these days. She could at least manage a B or a B+ on most days; maybe a rare A might pop up from time to time. No, her problems were on the inside.<p>

First of all, Ino. The blond was acting very strange lately, along with Karen and the other Akatsuki members. Akatsuki was a group for the 'popular' kids. They were avoiding Sakura at all costs.

But for now, all that was on the pink haired girl's mind was the task of keeping the party from Naruto.

Which Hinata was miserably failing at.

The girl had almost shouted out the secret right in front of Naruto, but had been stopped by a Kiba stuffing some tomatoes in her mouth. Sakura could swear that Hinata turned as red as the tomatoes in her mouth were.

Naruto, as the dim headed person he was, only questioned Kiba on why he had stuffed tomatoes into Hinata's mouth. Kiba said something like, "She isn't eating vegetables lately…"

Sakura was currently in the process of setting up the food in Hinata's house. There was more than one accident so far, some of which involved Akamaru licking all the cupcakes.

"Naruto's coming soon! Hurry up!" Kiba was shouting. Sasuke grunted from the corner, and turned his head back towards the door.

There was no need though, since everything was set up and ready to go. It was quarter after four when Sasuke signaled that they were coming. Everyone hid around various pieces of furniture. Muffled voices were coming from the door.

"Are you sure this is okay, Hinata? I mean, I can't just go into your house unexpectedly…"

"I-It's totally fine! It's not like there's a party or anything…"

A silent groan spread out over the room. Luckily, Naruto didn't notice.

"Well, if you insist…"

The moment the door opens and Naruto takes a step in, Tenten turns the lights back on and everyone (bar Shikamaru and Sasuke) jumps out from their hiding spots and shouts 'SURPRISE!' giving Naruto a mini-heart attack.

The blond blinks once, twice, and then busts into laughter as everyone surrounds him, talking rapidly.

Hinata turns the music on, and shows Naruto the stack of presents for him, causing the said boy to smile joyfully.

Everyone watches him open the presents. Sakura is in wonder how happy he looks even with the smallest gifts, like the box of pencils she gave him. (**Can ****you ****be ****like ****that?)**

Sasuke gives him something called a 'kunai', Shino some kind of glass beetle, Tenten a bunch of seeds and herbs ('Now you can grow your own food!), Kiba an orange jacket, Shikamaru a chess set ('You need to improve your IQ, Naruto').

Hinata gives him a dark blue headband with a metal plate in the center. There is some kind of weird mark on the plate, but Hinata confesses even she doesn't know what it is. Sakura laughs out loud with the others when Hinata goes perfectly red when Naruto hugs her. Kiba even dares to wolf-whistle, earning a glare from Sasuke.

And the party explodes into an area of laughter.

* * *

><p><strong>Everything's whirling<strong>

**And I haven't felt like this in so long**

**Colors swirling around everywhere.**

**I'm starting to get dizzy**

**From all the fruit punch I'm drinking**

**But I really don't mind**

**Since I'm having fun**

**And laughing as Akamaru **

**Smears his face with bright orange icing. **

**The party's still going strong**

**At twelve AM **

**And I'm in a dreamlike state**

**As everything passes by in a whirl of color. **

**But the dream ends**

**When Hinata screams**

'**FIRE!'**

**And then things get _hectic_**

**Since everyone is bolting to the door**

**Except Sasuke, who grabs my wrist**

**(His hands are so soft)**

**And drags me outside.**

**Kiba is babbling away about something**

**And the fire trucks are just rounding the corner.**

**Naruto is stroking Hinata's hair**

**Shino is (awkwardly) patting Tenten**

**Shikamaru is talking calmly to Kiba**

**Then I realize that I'm the only one**

**That's alone. **

**I walk toward Hinata**

**Making footprints on the ash-covered grass**

**And listen to a nearby worker**

**Telling her**

"**There are no serious damages on the house, ma'am."**

**But I can tell she isn't listening**

**Because she's still repeating the words into Naruto's jacket**

"**I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry…"**

**He blinks**

**Then continues to stroke her.**

"**It's alright… Everyone's safe and that's what counts." (_Real_ love, darling.)**

**Maybe not everyone.**

**Because Sasuke's coming out**

**With a limp, furry figure**

**That once used to be a soft brown**

**But now is a dark black.**

**Kiba staggers over**

**Then pushes the small body to his chest,**

**And looks away from it**

**Refusing to believe it.**

**Without thinking,**

**I go up to him**

**And awkwardly pat him on the back.**

**Hinata, rubbing her red eyes**

**Tears still streaming down her face**

**Hugs Kiba.**

**Naruto joins in**

**And Shikamaru consolingly tries to boost our spirits.**

"**At least… Every person is okay, right?"**

**Shino half-heartedly glares at the Nara**

**But still**

**His words somehow make us all feel better**

**And Naruto even smiles.**

* * *

><p><strong>Ino<strong>

Ino's hair is messy and wild and sticking out in weird angles. Most of her body is covered with ash and her clothes are tattered. The blond's usually glamorous face is smeared with makeup, and she gets out from the gutter she escaped in. Her knees are scabbed and bloody. But she doesn't care.

She could've done more. _Much_ more. She could've killed them all (that is, if she had used all her alcohol) and burned them to a painful death. But somewhere, there was a shard of kindness in there (**Stop ****being ****so **_**soft. **__**Weak.**_**)**so she spared them.

But she knows, somewhere in her shattered heart that she couldn't, and wouldn't _ever_ do that.

Shikamaru who has abandoned her (**but ****he ****doesn****'****t ****hate ****you)**, Sakura who caused all this **(No, ****you ****did ****that ****yourself) **and Hinata…

She is glad that at least _someone__'__s_ soul has been crushed.

She is glad that at least _something_ died.

Ino yearns for revenge. _Revenge._

Someone. Please. Join her corner of misery.

(**But ****you ****know ****that ****somewhere ****in ****there, ****you ****would ****never ****kill ****a ****person.)**

_Shut up._

* * *

><p><strong>AN …Sorry Akamaru lovers.**

**Yay for the first two-way interaction of Sakura and Gaara! (chapter four doesn't count, I guess.)**

**Now, for an omake.**

* * *

><p><strong>Gaara<strong>

The moon seems so bright today.

The moment he picks up the dusty phone in his hands and calls the girl that saved his life **(Why?)** The moon seems to glow a shade brighter.

His **(non-caring)** father is still typing away at some essay for something. Temari is rarely home, and when she is, she barely makes any contact with him. Her own _brother_. Just stocks up the fridge, reminds him to do his homework (**Not ****that ****it ****matters)** and leaves.

The red-haired boy knows he can't make the excuse 'But I'm your brother!' Because Kankuro had been her brother too.

And look at what happened. (**Family. Like it exists in my world.**)

Gaara looks up at the moon. He should be sleeping (for his _health,_ they say) but it really doesn't matter. He never sleeps anymore, especially after the 'incident'.

But he can't get that girl out of his mind, and it annoys him to no end. That blurry image of a girl with striking pink hair, looking down at him with a concerned look.

The moon is brighter today. Defiantly.


	6. Temporary Peace, version 2

**A/N Here it is. Thank you for waiting. The more angsty version. Enjoy. **

**Many hugs and thank-you to Cindy Medeiros, RaningDay, TheFeyRa, Darkredblossomgodess for reviewing! **

**Thank you to TheBlackRose123, TheFeyRa, and Darkredblossomgodess for adding this to their story alerts. **

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine. The quote below is.**

* * *

><p><em>The scariest sight<em>

_Is when you look up at the dark night sky_

_Just to see_

_An orange monster_

_That fills the sky_

_With screams and howls._

* * *

><p><strong>Sakura<strong>

Three days have gone by and the red haired boy is still not back in school.

That night is Naruto's birthday party, and Hinata is very excited. Her pale eyes are joyful, and she barely managed to keep the party a secret from Naruto. But Sakura couldn't share her excitement.

Gaara was still absent.

Sakura really doesn't know why that bothers her so much (**You ****want ****to ****be ****a ****mother)** since it really is none of her business. It isn't.

So she could hardly pay attention to Asuma-sensei's lectures, or Kakashi's shouts of encouragement, or even Gai-sensei's 'good guy' poses.

But Sakura has to be happy, for both Hinata and Naruto.

"Sakura? _Sakura?_"

Sakura looks up sharply, to find Hinata staring at her with a worried look on her face. "A-Are you okay? You seem distracted."

Sakura forces a smile, her gaze wandering away to glance at Temari before snapping back to the Hyuuga girl. "Who have you invited for the party?"

"Sasuke, Kiba, Shikamaru, Shino, and… That's it." She said, counting off on her fingers.

The pink haired girl is surprised that Hinata didn't invite her own cousin, but doesn't question it. "Who's Shino?"

Hinata points to the table on the opposite end of the lunchroom, where a boy with a trenchcoat is sitting, sunglasses on and hands shoved into his pockets. He is sitting next to Kiba, who asks him something curiously.

"What's that he's holding in his hand?"

"Shino-kun likes bugs. He collects them." Hinata explains.

Sakura nods, turning back to her (**disgusting**) lunch and stuffing it into her mouth. Hinata picks at her food, and then tries to hide when Naruto comes near, voice as loud as ever.

"H-Happy birthday Naruto-kun." Hinata squeaks from behind Sakura. He smiles widely. His smile gets even wider when Hinata asks him if she can go to his house after school.

"Of course Hinata!"

Sakura echoes Hinata's 'happpy birthday' and continues eating.

"Hey, have any of you seen Gaara lately?"

Sakura's heart almost stops and she forces herself to gulp down the milk instead of spitting it in Naruto's face. "Why do you ask that?"

The blond boy gets a questioning look. "He's my friend, isn't he? Why shouldn't I be worried about him?"

Hinata looks at the ground, muttering something under her breath. Sakura catches the words 'Dangerous' and 'Evil'. Apparently Naruto does too, since he defends Gaara immediately.

"Gaara isn't dangerous!" He bursts out. Hinata shrinks away and whimpers.

Naruto's face becomes soft again, and he apologizes. Sakura, feeling out of place, quietly leaves the lunchroom.

**(Because you _never_ fit in.)**

* * *

><p><strong>It's music now<strong>

**And we're studying Mozart**

**And there's only one month until this quarter ends**

**Then we get to pick what we want to do**

**(You're picking art, aren't you dear?)**

_**No I'm not.**_

**(Of course you are.)**

**Sometimes I think I'm going mad**

**When I hear these _voices_ inside**

**My messed up head**

**And I feel**

**Like a bubble **

**That's about to _POP!_**

**But I'm still thinking about the party**

**As I walk out the door**

**And I see Hinata is passing out invitations to the party.**

**I help her scurry away**

**When Naruto comes by.**

**It's after school now**

**And I'm at Hinata's (Neiji's) house**

**Hanging up the streamers**

**Blowing balloons**

**And I laugh like everyone else**

**When Kiba accidentally slams the door **

**Into Shino's face.**

**Shino's tall**

**Has a deep voice**

**And likes to collect bugs.**

**In fact,**

**He has bugs in his hand right now,**

**And Akamaru is chasing some of the ones that stray off.**

**Sasuke it sitting in the corner**

**With his dark eyes that gleam**

**Staring at all of us**

**Then going back to guarding the door.**

**It's almost time for Naruto to come.**

**We're fortunate **

**That Neiji is out of the house**

**Along with his father**

**For a tournament. **

**There's still some fussing**

**But everyone still hides**

**When Sasuke announces**

"**They're coming!"**

**So we all hide**

**And Shikamaru cuts the lights.**

**We all hear Naruto's voice outside**

**Shouting, "W-Why are we-"**

**As soon as he opens the door**

**Kiba and I shout 'SURPRISE!'**

**Sakuke grumbles something**

**Shino nods**

**And Akamaru barks.**

**We all stand there for a moment,**

**Naruto in shock**

**With Hinata standing behind him**

**Blushing like crazy.**

**Then at the same time**

**We all bust into laughter (minus Sasuke and Shino)**

**Naruto jumps toward us**

**Pulls us into a group hug**

**And shouts, "You guys are the _best!_"**

* * *

><p><strong>Soon, the music's blaring<strong>

**The cake is being served**

**Everyone's laughing**

**And talking**

**And smiling.**

**For the first time,**

**I am a part of it too**

**Doing the same**

**As everyone else is.**

**Naruto is the star of the show**

**Cracking jokes**

**Stuffing cake into his mouth**

**Opening presents.**

**The presents are the best part.**

**Kiba gets him a headband,**

**Shino a beetle _(I __don__'__t __get __the __point, __but __it__'__s __the __thought __that __counts)_**

**Shikamaru a new orange jacket,**

**Hinata a giant pie, made into the shape of a heart _(He __doesn__'__t __know __what __it __means),_**

**And Sasuke some kind of small knife. (_Kunai, __he __says._)**

**Naruto accepts all of it**

**With a smiling face**

**And now I feel bad**

**Because I only got him a small blue headband**

**With a metal plate.**

**He just waves me off**

"**The party was a gift itself."**

**(_Friend._)**

* * *

><p><strong>The party's still going steady<strong>

**Even when I see the stars look down**

**And they seems so small**

**Compared to the ones _I_ see**

**Every single day.**

**It seems like the party is so calm**

**Peaceful **

**Perfect in the universe**

**That it almost seems like a dream**

**When Hinata runs in**

**Her pale eyes wide and shaking**

**And with a strained voice**

**Shouts, **

"**_FIRE!_"**

**And soon everyone's bolting to the door**

**Running all over**

**While Shino calls the fire department.**

**I can faintly see**

**The red flames coming closer**

**Licking in the multi-colored stars around it.**

**I hear Kiba shouting for Akamaru**

**Who has been lost somewhere**

**Among the flames. **

**I stand there in shock**

**Remembering the boy with flame red hair**

_**Gaara all over again.**_

**Until someone shoves me from behind**

**And the smooth voice of Sasuke **

**Shouts (almost pleadingly)**

"**_GO!__"_**

**So I do.**

**I'm out of the black smothering building**

**There are red lights everywhere**

**Water is being sprayed**

**And sound of coughing and crying fill the air.**

**I can barely see**

**But I make out Hinata **

**Sobbing**

**Crying**

**Begging **

**On the shoulder of the boy**

**Whose birthday has been ruined.**

**But he doesn't shout**

**Or scream**

**Or even glare**

**But comforts. **

**(That is something you will never know.)**

**Kiba is crying**

**For the very first time that anyone's seen**

**Hugging a limp**

**Charred**

**_Non-breathing_ puppy**

**That has fluffy fur**

**Which is now burned on the edges.**

**Men tell him to get off the ground**

**Let go of the dead animal**

**But he is shouting**

"**HE WAS A FRIEND!"**

**And no one can convince him otherwise.**

**Officials are telling Hinata**

**That there were no serious damages on the house**

**But it seems she doesn't care at all**

**Since they can't fix her _soul_**

**And I look up at the stars**

**Which seem to be _glaring __coldly_ at _me_**

**Knowing that I am a _disappointment_.**

**Tears fall to the ground**

**And I think of **

**How unfair**

**The world**

**Is.**

* * *

><p><strong>Ino<strong>

Ino's hair is messy and wild and sticking out in weird angles. Most of her body is covered with ash and her clothes are tattered. The blond's usually glamorous face is smeared with makeup, and she gets out from the gutter she escaped in. Her knees are scabbed and bloody. But she doesn't care.

She could've done more. _Much_ more. She could've killed them all (that is, if she had used all her alcohol) and burned them to a painful death. But somewhere, there was a shard of kindness in there (**Stop ****being ****so **_**soft. **__**Weak.**_**)**so she spared them.

But she knows, somewhere in her shattered heart that she couldn't, and wouldn't _ever_ do that.

Shikamaru who has abandoned her (**but ****he ****doesn****'****t ****hate ****you)**, Sakura who caused all this **(No, ****you ****did ****that ****yourself),**and Hinata…

She is glad that at least _someone__'__s_ soul has been crushed.

She is glad that at least _something_ died.

Ino yearns for revenge. _Revenge._

Someone. Please. Join her corner of misery.

(**But ****you ****know ****that ****somewhere ****in ****there, ****you ****would ****never ****kill ****a ****person.)**

_Shut up._

* * *

><p><strong>AN As you can see, Ino's part is still the same. **

**Poll time! Who do you like best of these characters?**

**A) Hinata**

**B) Gaara**

**C) Sakura**

**D) Lee**

**Constructive criticisms are always appreciated; so are questions. **


	7. Breaking Pain

**A/N According to fanfiction, I have received 870 hits for this story. Do you know what that means?...**

**WE'RE ALMOST AT A THOUSAND HITS! Thank you all _so so so _much! This really means a lot to me. *sniffle***

**Thank you to: TheFeyRa, frostbird, and CindyMedeiros for reviewing! And if anyone wanted to know, Gaara won for the last poll. **

**Lots of GaaSaku in this chapter. **

**Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters do not belong to me.**

* * *

><p><em>Would you like me to hold your hand,<em>

_Or will you be okay?_

* * *

><p><strong><span>Sakura<span>  
><strong>

November fifth, it is.

Gaara still hasn't come to school.

But after the birthday incident, maybe she just doesn't care anymore.

Sakura is actually wondering how he managed to get away with so many absent days. Until Naruto bluntly tells her that his father is rich.

Every night, she dreams of white-hot flames licking her, engulfing her, cutting her view from the stars…

Since the stars are all she has and _they_ hate her too.

Kiba isn't the same, but he still laughs and makes jokes, but they just don't have that spark anymore.

Hinata is unstable most days, but she somehow always manages to laugh and talk with everyone else, usually in Naruto's embrace.

She walks and talks with Hinata, Naruto, and sometimes Sasuke. Sasuke seems nice enough, but he nervous, whenever he meets eyes with her.

One day, she can't stand it anymore.

Her hair is everywhere, strands of pink falling on her tattered clothes, and she is dying inside.

Sakura knows that she _is_ worried.

She's taking art, just like the voice said she would. She is happy, being with Hinata. Kurenai-sensei is nice enough, and praises her art skills, no matter how bad they are.

"Can you pass me the yellow, Sakura-chan?"

She passes the Hyuuga the yellow, and the timid girl takes it, quietly thanking her.

Sakura observes her friend. Naruto is across from them, loudly talking to Sasuke.

"Hinata, you're okay, right?"

The indigo-haired girl turns her head. "K-Kiba is-"

"He's fine." (**He just has a broken heart**)

She shakes her head. "You know he's not."

They are silent for the rest of the period. Sakura's heart begs her to talk, to comfort, to do _anything_ to break this chain of hurt.

But she doesn't.

The last bell rings, and she is out like a rocket, speeding towards her locker. She bumps into someone, making them squeak and fall over.

It's Ino, her beautiful face now stained with smeared makeup. Her eyes are red and puffy.

"I-I'm sorry! Here, I'll-"

"Get away from me you bitch!" She screams. "Monster! You ruined my life!"

Ino waves her arms about, causing her books to scatter all around her.

"Ino!"

A calm, deep voice approaches them, and Ino freezes.

"S-Shikamaru…"

Temari is right behind the ponytailed boy, looking uncomfortable when she sees Sakura. Sakura glares at her, telling her silently, _"Stay."_

Ino looks away from the boy's eyes.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru snorts, his gaze ice-cold. "I thought you said you wouldn't get involved with her anymore, Ino."

Ino hurries to pick up all her books, and then runs away darkly, fuming. Shikamaru sighs, and turns to Sakura. "I'm sorry about that."

(**He silently cares, you know.**)

"I need to talk to Temari."

Shikamaru nods, understanding. He walks away, leaving the two girls alone.

"You're going to ask about Gaara, aren't you?"

"He hasn't been coming to school for almost two weeks. How is he?" Sakura is surprised at how steady her voice is.

"I still don't know why you ask." Temari sighs. "He's okay… Well, as okay as usual. He always locks himself up in his room, sometimes playing violin… Baki hardly visits us anymore, you wouldn't know him, and well… I'm at work a lot, father is…"

Sakura sees the uneasiness in the blonde's eyes. "Where do you live?"

"Up the road some ways, big house, two floors. It's pale."

"Can you take me there?"

Temari blinks. "Why?" No one had ever... _asked_ voluntarily to go see their house.

"I want to see Gaara. I need to know that he's okay myself. And Naruto asked." She adds that last part in. Temari stares at her in amazement.

"Suit yourself." She shrugs, and goes toward the entrance. "I'll wait for you."

Sakura runs to her locker and gets her stuff. She goes to the entrance to find Temari in a limo.

"How did you get this?"

Temari frowns. "Work. Now get in."

The older girl sees her hesitation, and snorts. "Do I _look_ like a kidnapper to you?"

Sakura laughs humorlessly, and gets in beside Temari.

* * *

><p><strong>Big.<br>**

**The first word that comes into my head.**

**Big. **

**The house is big**

**The lawn is big**

**The windows are big…**

_**Everything is big.**_

**Even the fear that are in my eyes**

**And in Temari's.**

"**H-Have you seen him?"**

**Temari's hand sweeps through **

**One of the unreal stars.**

"**No."**

**The house is messy.**

**Random bags**

**And cups**

**And papers**

**Are scattered all over.**

**But the house**

**Holds no stench**

**Of beer.**

"**There you go.**

**Now I have to go**

**To work.**

**Leave whenever you want to,**

**And the moment he starts to lose his temper**

**Run away. **

**Got it?"**

**I nod**

**She exits**

**Leaving me alone.**

**I hear a faint clicking noise**

**From beside the kitchen**

**And look inside**

**To see a man**

**Typing away at the computer.**

**I slowly back away**

**And go to find Gaara**

**In this maze of a house.**

* * *

><p>Sakura goes up the creaky stairs, taking each step with caution. She peers into every room, taking a quick peak before coming out and moving onto the next one.<p>

She stops at one of the rooms. It smells like fresh ginger, and inside there are a few photos. Most of them are of a single woman, her smile like the sun and hair the perfect shade of Temari's. The rest of the pictures (two, to be exact) are of a boy who is wearing some kind of cat-eared hat and face paint.

In one of the pictures, he's smiling and holding up a little puppet on strings, showing them to a little red-haired boy who is smiling as well.

In the other picture, he has one arm wrapped around Temari, and the other wrapped around the woman from the other pictures.

Posed at the center of the room are two portraits, one of the woman and the other of the boy, except without the hat and face paint. The smell of fresh flowers linger beside the two wooden frames, but doesn't spread.

_A memorial_. Sakura realizes.

Darting out of the room, she takes care to be quiet.

But there's still no sign of that red-haired boy.

_Why are you even doing this?_ She pondered. _Why does he matter to you?_

(**You want to save the boy with no dreams…**)

At the end of the hallway, there is a door. It just looks like she should avoid going in. It's colored pitch black.

And the doorknob is red.

Gulping, Sakura steps into the room. She is greeted by a gush of autumn wind, and she shivers a bit, and notices the open window.

She also realizes, after a heartbeat later, that there is a skylight, and the window is painted on the wall.

Closing the door behind her, she looks around the room. It is plain, a desk, chair, closet, bookshelf, violin case…

There are some odd things too. Like the cacti that are hanging from the wall, in front of drawings of wavy lines, red scribbles, notes, letters, all taped to the wall. They are everywhere except on the far side of the room, where the painted-on window is. And a bed is not seen.

The walls and floors are dusty and the color of white sand. On the bookshelf, there are mostly music sheets and sketch pads, one photo that has the woman she saw before and someone else that looks almost like the other, both of them smiling and waving at the camera.

"What are you doing in this room?"

Sakura turns around sharply; to see the boy she's been looking for standing right behind her, eyes blank. Gaara isn't showing any signs that he is mad that she's in this room, nor does he call it 'his' room even when it clearly is.

"Well?"

"I didn't see you coming."

He frowns, but it disappears. Walking around her, he pours a tiny bit of water onto each cactus plant.

"Where did you come from?"

He tips his head towards the side of the black door, where there is another door. Sakura realizes it is a bathroom.

"I haven't watered them this month." He deadpans. Light streams in from the window overhead.

"Why don't you put a window over there," Sakura points to the painted-on window "Instead of up there?"

Gaara's face becomes dark, and he doesn't answer. She notes his messed up hair, wrinkled clothes (black t-shirt and jeans), slight limp, and dark circles around his eyes. Darker than usual, at least. There is a gourd on his back, slightly larger than him.

His wrist is still wrapped with the strip of cloth she had put on, and it was dirty and soaked with dried blood. There are still no stars.

The boy settles down on the floor, and takes out a book and starts reading. She feels awkward, standing in the room of someone she barely knows.

"I like your cacti." She blurts out, not knowing what else to say. Gaara looks up at her questioningly, but nods and goes back to his reading.

"You should change your bandages, you know."

He shrugs. His light green eyes reflect the light.

"Gaara," She says each word slowly, choosing carefully. "Why aren't you coming to school anymore? Naruto's worried about you. He's the reason I-I'm here."

Gaara ignores the stumble at the last part, and looks up at her. "He's worried? About me?"

"Isn't he your friend?"

"Friend." He repeats, playing with the word. "Is that what friends do?"

"Yes. Why aren't you coming to school?"

"There's no point." He shrugs.

"It was Naruto's birthday. You missed it."

When he gives no answer, she continues. "Have you heard what happened at the party? There was a fire."

Gaara seems to stiffen a bit, but doesn't show it as he turns the page. "So?"

"He's your _friend._"

It's hopeless, Sakura knows. He doesn't feel love.

"Aren't you worried about him?"

"He'll die later anyways."

"Come to school." This time, she says it, _orders_ it. She looks at the worn away cloth of white around his wrist. "I'll change your bandages."

Gaara frowns, but doesn't push her away when she starts to take off his bandages around his wrist.

"Don't you have a father? Or close family member?"

He glares, the large gourd on his back shaking a bit. Drips of glittering sand falls from the cracks.

"Stop asking me stuff like that." He murmurs, looking blank as Sakura wraps the bandages. The skin around the wound is yellow, smeared with drops of brownish-red. "Why do you care? I'm _dangerous._" He spits out the word.

_This is getting nowhere_. Sakura thinks. Looking around the room once more, she misses the multi-colored stars that usually surround her.

"Don't you want to have a good future?"

Gaara turns his head, pulling away from her. He flinches when she grabs his other wrist. The redhead jerks his wrist out of her hands violently, and pushes her over with his gourd. "_Don't touch me!_"

But weirdly, there's no anger in his voice. It's blank. His eyes no emotion, they're blank like his voice. Like his heart.

She winces when there's a jolt of pain as she tries to get up. But Sakura ignores it. Softly, she whispers,

"Can't you love?"

No reply, but a flinch and maybe a flash of anger in his eyes at the four-letter word. Sakura notices this, and gets a bit uneasy.

But she still dares to ask the next question.

"Aren't you happy?"

It seems like years after he answers her, voice filled with nothing.

"No."

* * *

><p><strong>I feel bad now.<strong>

**He motions at me**

**To leave**

**With a little glare **

**And I walk out.**

**The man is still there**

**Typing away. **

**I want to scream**

**And shout**

"**Don't you _care_?"**

**But... how he talked about Naruto.**

**_Naruto_, who's trying so hard to be friends.**

**Everyone here is heartless.**

* * *

><p><strong>Gaara is back in school the next day.<strong>

_**Gaara is back in school the next day.**_

* * *

><p><strong>AN Short chapter, sorry about that. =( the next one will be longer though, promise! Reviews make the author happy. :3 If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to PM me or leave it in a review. **


	8. Everything with Nothing

**A/N Happy New Year, everyone! **

**Thank you to TheFeyRa for reviewing! Really appreciate it! :D**

* * *

><p><em>Everything's turning turning turning…<em>

_I'm still burning in these flames…_

_But when you come with that bucket of water_

_I know everything will be okay._

* * *

><p><strong><span>Sakura<span>  
><strong>

Sakura is surprised when Temari comes up to her during lunch.

A nice, cool November day, leaves fluttering, almost all gone from their usual spot in the trees. They are a palette of paint for nature to draw on.

Of course, people can draw on it too. Like right now. Some of the members from Akatsuki- Sasori, Deihara, Hidan- are stacking the leaves into a big pile and burning it, laughing as it goes up into flames. Sakura doesn't understand why one would find that _enjoyable_, but ignores it. Everyone else seems to be doing the same, since no teacher comes out to scold them.

Art is fun, in the simplest way to put it. Fun. Naruto and Kiba and Hinata are all there, so it's good. Fun for all.

Asuma-sensei liked her report she did on the Civil War. Biology is good, as long as she gets out of the classroom before Jiraya starts to give a lecture about frogs, or before Gaara starts packing his stuff. But she can't help but saying; it is a bit boring now.

When she confided this to Sasuke (He is a nice person, he really is) he laughed and called her spoiled, in a good way.

Temari swoops down on her like a bat, and starts gawking at her.

"What the _hell_ did you say to Gaara to make him come to school again? I mean, even his therapist couldn't- how could _you_-"

The younger girl shrugged, poking at her hair. Temari stared at her in awe. "You know, I think you should come to our house more often- just to help Gaara… He's not the most social person out there, barely has any friends except for that Naruto kid who's a bit whacko, so it would be nice if you could…"

"…I thought we talked about this, Temari." A quiet voice said, obviously displeased.

Both of them were totally unaware that Gaara had snuck up behind them. His piercing teal eyes were now glaring at his older sister. His icy voice stopping the atmosphere completely. Sakura could swear she saw beads of sweat coming down Temari's face.

"But, she's helping you get better-"

The small boy cut her off with a glare.

The awkwardness between siblings made her nervous, so she was about to slip away when Temari grabbed her shoulders.

"She's going to help you, whether you like it or not!" The blond's voice became usually high-pitched, but she stood her ground firmly, not averting from her younger brother's gaze.

He glared at her, and then at Sakura, and left.

"W-Wait, I can't- You told me to avoid-"

"You know what, forget what I said before. He didn't attack you, which is a first. That means you're a miracle worker." Temari's words were coming fast and strong.

"Bu-But he's crazy!"

"Everyone's a little bit crazy. Hell, I bet you're pretty crazy yourself,"

Sakura wants to scream and shout. She didn't want to get dragged into this.

**(Then why were you worried about that Subaku boy?)**

"Please Sakura, just.. I want to make his life enjoyable before… I haven't been a very good sister, I admit. I know he won't forgive me that easily, so-"

The bell rings, cutting her off. Temari clears her throat and says to her, "Good luck," and dashes inside, wanting to catch the bell. Sakura is still standing there, frozen, dumbfounded.

A few days before, she would've said yes right away. But now, she wasn't sure.

A burning rage flares up when Sakura realizes what Temari meant by those last words.

**(She doesn't care, hon. Not about him, anyways.**

**No one does.)**

* * *

><p>Orochimaru-sensei is lounging at his desk, as he always does before the bell rings. Sakura is observing Gaara, who is sitting in the corner, immobile, as Lee (in his green jumpsuit) flocks around him like a bunch of birds. He twitters to the other boy and the latter is trying his best to ignore him. Sometimes he glares with jade eyes, but Lee pretends not to notice.<p>

Sakura smiles at the weird acquaintanceship they have. The pink haired girl bounces up to Lee and pulls him away. She sees a faint blush on his cheeks.

"Ah, Sakura-chan! Beautiful and young as ever, I see!"

Now she can feel her cheeks becoming red too. "Thank you Lee. What would you think of Gaara?"

Lee frowns. "I can't say. He rarely talks, and he sometimes comes to school with these _awful_ scars. I've heard rumors about him killing his own brother and uncle, but you know about rumors," He shrugs. "Unreal most of the time,"

"Why do you try and talk to him?" She presses. A glance at the clock tells her there's one more minute until the bell rings.

"As long as you try hard, you can accomplish anything!" He grins and gives her a thumbs up while winking. "I don't believe that Gaara-san is dangerous. Just misunderstood,"

"Classsss, get into your sseatss," Orochimaru hisses. Sakura turns to thank Lee for his time, but realizes he's already in his seat.

_He's fast…_

There's a tiny ball of wrinkled paper heading towards her. She scrambles in her seat to catch it, and there is a tiny bust of giggles as the other students see her little 'show'. Luckily, the teacher doesn't notice.

In hasty writing it says,

"_Sakura, why are you trying to get information about _Gaara_? He's dangerous, stay away._

_He kills a lot Sakura. And talks to himself. Pick fights for no reason. I thought Naruto explained this to you? –Sasuke"_

_Sasuke? He cares?_

(**He does, doesn't he? The question is, do you?**)

"Hey Sakura!" Naruto shouts, grinning. It's Japanese, and Gai-sensei is at the front making a loud speech. A speech loud enough to cover even Naruto's shout, luckily.

"You don't have to shout, Naruto!"

"Sorry, sorry!" He waves it off. "So, whadda ya need from me?"

"I wanted to.. Well, Temari asked me to try to talk with Gaara… So I wanted to know a bit more about him…"

Naruto cracks a smile and laughs. A bit too loudly. "Gaara? He's a good kid,"

"You were telling me to avoid him earlier."

"Well, he's a bit crazy, but that's why I'm friends with him, right? But seriously, there's no need to talk with him or anything, he's just fine, a bit quiet, that's all. But that makes him a good listener!"

Sakura still thinks his tone is a bit forced. "But I want to. Temari's worried."

"She's just like a mother hen! Always flapping around the kid," Naruto shakes his head. "_Way_ too overprotective. Don't Sakura. Don't get involved with him."

"But-"

"Pardon me to interrupt your talks of youth," Gai-sensei has heard them. He gives them a grin. "But pay attention!"

"Yes sensei…" Naruto mumbles, before whispering to Sakura, "Meet me outside after class."

Sakura sees a trace of a blush around his cheeks, but it fades away as quickly as it had come. But even Naruto can't help the fact that stars and swirling around him.

And Sakura is watching every one of them.

Naruto and Sakura are walking side-by-side at a slow pace, close together, arms touching. In fact, they are so close that people are whispering as they walk by and the pink-haired girl can feel her face heating up. Naruto doesn't notice.

He slows to a stop before turning and asking, "Does Hinata like me?"

Sakura is thrown off momentarily at his question. She had been expecting something about Gaara (**You really care, don't you?**) or school. Kiba. Sasuke. Anything but Hinata.

"I think-"

"I get it," He sighs without letting her finish the sentence. "She hates me. She blames herself for that birthday thing. I'm…"

"Actually, I think she likes you very much."

Naruto brightens. "Really? You mean it?"

Sakura nods. "I'm sure. Positive."

"God Sakura. Thanks…"

The words fade from Naruto's mouth as his eyes widen in horror.

"_Hinata!"_

* * *

><p>The said girl is back to back against the lockers, whimpering in fear as Karen screams something at her. The rest of Akatsuki right behind her, sneering. But the worst thing is that Neiji is standing in the corner, watching all this without even twitching an eyebrow.<p>

Sakura can feel Naruto's rage come off him as he storms toward the group of people.

"You _bastards!_ What the _hell_ are you doing to Hinata-chan?"

He starts punching and kicking wildly, desperately trying to get to the place where Karin is, only to be blocked by endless Akatsuki members.

That's when Sakura sees a bomb in Deihara's hand. But she's too petrified (**Coward. You've always been one.**) so she screams. An ear-piercing scream.

The dark, lean figure of Sasuke rockets down the hallway; closely followed by Lee ('I'll save you my Sakura!') and both of them drive most of the Akatsuki away, except Deihara and Sasori.

The former is still clutching the bomb, frowning in consideration. But after the red-haired boy whispers something in his ear, he leaves as well. Only Karin is left. And Neiji.

But Karin isn't _stupid_, so she runs too, glaring back at Sakura and Hinata, her eyes fill up with an apologetic look when she sees Sasuke, and she leaves.

"Hinata? Are you okay? _Hinata?"_

Naruto is grabbing Hinata by the shoulders and shaking her, but the girl is giving no reaction. The bell rings.

"Damn it, _Hinata-_"

The blond slings her limp form over his shoulder and begins to carry her to the nurse's office. Lee whirls around, meeting Neiji's gaze directly.

"Why didn't you help her, Neiji-san? Isn't she your cousin?"

The Hyuuga scoffs, and replies, "She's too shameful to be considered as my 'cousin'."

Sakura feels that familiar rage bubbling inside her, waiting to burst. It's rising, rising, rising…

Her fist acts on impulse, cutting through the air with force to slam into Neiji's head…

But another beats her there, and Neiji falls back on the ground with a sickening thud. When he raises his head, his face is smeared with blood.

This time, it's Kiba. His fake scars on his cheeks combined with the crazy gleam in his eyes makes him look like a wild animal, tensed and ready to fight.

"Y-You _dare_," He lunges at his face once again, before Sasuke or Lee has a chance to hold him back. Kiba's eyes are red and bulging, and he looks like he will rip Neiji's throat out…

But the familiar, silver-haired Kakashi-sensei walks in, inspecting them. Kiba falters, and takes a step back from the bleeding boy that is Neiji. But he doesn't look helpless; far from it.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" He questions, his calm gaze scanning around them all. "I just happened to meet Uzumaki Naruto on the stairs, dragging Hinata. Considering Neiji is her cousin, and he is wounded as well, I think it's safe to say that this is also involved with what happened to Hinata. In fact, Karin and Hidan was at the principal's, bleeding. Karin was crying."

When none of them respond, he beckons. "All of you, come with me."

Sakura is the first one to protest, but her voice is as quiet as the winter snow. "B-But, we'll miss class… And I have art next…"

Kakashi-sensei's eyebrow twitches in amusement. "If art is more important than this, you have my permission to leave."

She shakes her head.

* * *

><p><strong>The Hokage was nice enough<strong>

**I guess**

**No one got in trouble **

**I guess**

**And we all got of scott-free**

**I guess**

**And we left without any trouble**

**I guess**

**And I still haven't found out much about Gaara**

**I guess. **

**But I'm going today.**

**To his house, I mean.**

**Because…**

**I just…**

**I want to heal him.**

**I want to become a medic someday**

**But if I can't heal a heart**

**Just one, simple heart**

**How will I ever become one?**

…

**Sasuke's pretty nice. **

**But every girl chases him.**

**Naruto is cheerful**

**But Hinata is my friend, and I don't want to…**

…**.**

**Confused.**

**Lost.**

**That's what I am. **

**What am I saying?**

**I didn't want to do this in the first place!**

**I should've said no right there and then…**

…

**Kiba hasn't come to art yet.**

**It's almost the end of the period.**

**Naruto and Hinata haven't shown up yet too.**

**It's lonely without them.**

**(But you're used to it, aren't you?)**

**I'm half way out**

**As soon as the bell rings. **

**I run into Tsunade-sensei**

_**Hokage**_

**Who frowns at me and motions for me**

**To **

**Stop. **

**(I would like to stop.)**

"**Haruno Sakura,**

**You have caused a lot of trouble**

**For the school."**

**I bow my head and nod.**

**She walks away.**

**I wonder what the point of that was**

**Since it only told me**

**Things I wanted to avoid.**

**(All the wrong signs. **

**Run.**

**_Run._)**

* * *

><p><strong>I got out of school a bit later than usual<strong>

**But I hurry**

**To the big, frightening house**

**That says 'GO AWAY' without words.**

**But I can't go.**

**Temari asked me. **

**(She's just too afraid to do it herself.)**

**Gaara _needs_ me.**

**(You're afraid.)**

**Naruto's told my boss**

**That I won't be at work today**

**But I didn't tell him _where_**

**Or _why_**

**But Naruto knew it was… private.**

**And I thank him.**

**(If he did know, he would stop you.)**

**I'm at the doorstep now. **

**The world is about to blow up.**

**(5)**

**Take a step**

**(4)**

**Take another step**

**(3) **

**You're at the door**

**(2)**

**Ring the doorbell.**

**(1)**

"**Who are you?"**

**The voice is harsh, cold**

**I meet gazes**

**(0)**

**And the world explodes.**

* * *

><p><strong>Poll:<strong>

**Which pariring (out of the choices below) do you like best?**

**KibaHina**

**NaruHina**

**KibaIno**

**ShikaIno**


	9. Staring at the Enemy

**A/N Here it is! I don't know when my next update will be, since my life's pretty busy right now. I hope you enjoy!**

**Lots of hugs to TheFeyRa, frostbird, and Misery's-Toll for reviewing! They made my day!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto isn't mine.**

* * *

><p><em>The scariest thing<em>

_Is not when you look at evil in the face_

_But when it looks at _you

_With an evil glint in its eye._

* * *

><p><strong><span>Sakura<span>  
><strong>

"Who are you?"

The words. Three words. Three words that make Sakura's head explode from the inside, and whirl like a spinning top that never stops spinning. Everything is suddenly backwards, and..

The man standing in front of her isn't even Gaara.

Gone is the familiar red mop of messy hair, replaced by smooth, auburn locks that spikes up in some places. Gone is the jade eyes that showed nothing, rimmed with black. Instead, a darker pair of green eyes that only holds anger.

This is not Gaara. This is not even close to Gaara. Who is this man then, that is standing in the doorway of Gaara's house, inside Gaara's house, standing on Gaara's floorboards?

An image floats up to Sakura's head, demanding her attention. An image of an auburn haired man, typing away at the computer silently…

"Who are you?" The man repeats, his voice growing more agitated. Sakura sees splinters of wood on the man's hands and clothes. Her immediate guess is that he's a carpenter, but, the typing… That can't be right.

Something is desperately, desperately wrong here, but she can't put her hand on it. A few black stars are lingering, the rest are floating away.

That is not a good sign.

"Listen," The man says, letting out a big sigh and frowning. "I don't know who you are, or what you want, but you better leave me alone. I don't want to buy anything-"

Sakura seems to be hearing a faint sob from inside, but she can't be sure.

"-So get the hell away."

The man slams the door in her face with a loud bang, leaving her dazed and dumbstruck. Then she hears it.

The muffled crash from inside the house, followed by a scream and more sobs. It sounds so painful, so heart wrenching.

Instinctively, she rings the doorbell again. There is a little cough, shouts, and a bang from inside.

The same man opens the door again.

"You again?" He growls. "What do you _want_?"

Racking up her courage, she answers, "I'm partners with Gaara for our.. Science project!" She says, thinking fast. Inwardly, the girl gulps, wondering if he'll believe it.

As suspected, he doesn't. But his eyes seem to have a tint of nervousness in them, his pupils darting this way and that like a wild animal looking for a way out. "Gaara is-"

"Hey! Sakura-chan!"

**(Damn it! So close!)**

Clenching her fists, she turns around to see the bright-faced Naruto on the sidewalk, grinning stupidly at her.

"I didn't expect to see you hear!" He shouts, most defiantly waking up half of the neighborhood. "What are you doing at Gaara's?"

She forces out a smile. "I'm trying to get Gaara to come out. You know, for that science project?" Sakura tries to let a desperate look in her eyes, praying to whatever god up there to let Naruto understand that she's _desperate_.

But he's blunt, and she can't blame him. But there seems to be a jealous and accusing look in his eyes as he says, "Science project? What science project?"

It is an innocent question, but not to the man at the door. "Don't _ever_ come back here again!"

He slams the door a second time, making the wood splinter from being abused so much. But this time, the screams and sobs don't come. Dejectedly, she drags her feet down the steps and down the sidewalk until she is right in front of Naruto.

"What was that about?"

"Nothing," she sighs, then looks up at the smell of muffins from Naruto's hand-woven basket. "What's that?"

"Huh? This?" He points at the basket. When she nods, his grin becomes more believable and non-forced. "Hinata-chan asked me to take some muffins that she baked to Kiba, so I decided to stop over there after work. She would come, but she can't since her uncle banned her from leaving the house,"

"Is she okay?" Sakura asks, remembering that she forgot to visit because her mind was so occupied thinking of Gaara. Naruto, seeing her guilty expression, laughs reassuringly.

"She's perfectly fine. Just a few scrapes and bruises here and there is all,"

"That's a relief."

For a moment, they walk in silence, listening to the bell-like tune of the fall birds, chatting to each other. There's a cold breeze that sweeps over them, making the leaves rustle as they flip and turn on the sidewalk.

Sakura breaks the silence. "It seems everyone's house is nearby, Hinata's over there, yours over here…"

Naruto snorts. "I wish. Nah, we're going to Kurenai's house. Kiba usually comes there, since Akamaru used to be friends with the dog that lives there…"

The trees around them moan at the mention of the deceased dog's name, as if they're grieving.

About ten minutes later, they reach an old, wooden Japanese styled house. Naruto knocks on the worn away door while Sakura stands a bit behind him, taking in the originality of the area.

_It really does seem like Japan._ She thinks. _There's even a zen garden in the back…_

She was so deep in her thoughts; she didn't notice that Kurenai had come out until Naruto is almost punching her in the shoulder.

"Hey, Sakura!" Naruto smiles when Sakura's gaze becomes focused again. "You sure do like to daydream, huh? Come on; let's get away from the cold."

* * *

><p><strong>Kurenai offers each of us tea<strong>

**And gives each of us tea**

**As we wait for Kiba.**

**I don't understand **_**why**_** we're waiting**

**But I guess we have to wait.**

**I can't help but think about that man**

**And what he was doing**

**And that look in Naruto's eyes **

**And I just don't understand **

**Anything anymore. **

**Has my world gone so far out of control?**

**(Apparently so.)**

**Now Kiba comes in**

**Smiling**

**But not happy.**

**Laughing,**

**But there's no joy in him.**

"**Naruto, Sakura. What's up?"**

**It's not him.**

**Who are you and what have you done with Kiba?**

**The Kiba we used to know?**

**Even Naruto knows something is wrong.**

"**We brought you muffins. Hinata made them, but…"**

**Kiba reaches out for the muffins**

**And inspects each and every one of them carefully**

**Turning the soft things over and over and over**

**And plops one in his mouth.**

**He grins for real for the first time**

**And tells Naruto,**

"**Tell Hinata that these are **_**delicious!**_**"**

**Naruto grins**

**And says he will.**

**Another fake smile from Kiba.**

"**So, that's it then?"**

**Naruto squirms.**

**I'm looking at Kiba's face.**

**The fang tattoos are gone.**

**The thing that made Kiba, Kiba, is gone.**

**Gone **

_**Gone**_

**GONE.**

**Why?**

"**Why?"**

"**Why what?" He says. **

"**Your tattoos. Why?"**

"**Oh," He laughs a fake laugh.**

"**Those things? They were pretty old, so-"**

"**That's not why."**

**This time it's Naruto, who's still smiling.**

**But his smile is full of accusation now. **

"**I can change my appearance if I want to."**

**Another muffin is gone now.**

**Kiba is gone too.**

"**You aren't Kiba."**

**That is Naruto as well**

**But he's only voicing the things I am thinking.**

"**You aren't Kiba."**

**Kiba glares**

**But doesn't deny this fact.**

"**Where's Kiba?'**

**This time it's me.**

**Voice shaking.**

**Kiba (is that who he is?)**

**Shakes his head and says,**

"**I don't know.**

**I just don't know."**

**He smiles a bit**

**Face pained.**

"**Would you like to see Akamaru?"**

**His words are choked. **

"**He… He'd be glad for the company."**

**This is not Kiba.**

**This is not Kiba at all.**

* * *

><p><strong>Akamaru is cold now, probably.<strong>

**Lonely too.**

**Buried under all that rock and dirt**

**With only his cold gravestone for company. **

**There are fresh roses on his grave.**

**Kiba doesn't cry.**

**He is past the pain of crying,**

**But has moved on to something deeper.**

**I, on the other hand**

**I am crying.**

**The tears are burning, and won't stop.**

**I wasn't even **_**close**_** to Akamaru.**

**(It saddens you that another life is gone,**

**Gone to join the stars.)**

"**H-He was special to you,**

**Wasn't he?"**

**Kiba stares at the ground.**

"**Yes. He was."**

**Tears fall to the ground.**

**Naruto wraps his arms around me**

**And it feels so warm for now**

**And together, we're a barrier**

**Protecting each other from the cold of the world.**

**Now I'm leaving,**

**Leaving the shell of Kiba behind at the grave**

**Leaving Naruto, who is going the other way**

**Going back to the place I call 'home'.**

* * *

><p><strong>When I open the creaky door<strong>

**And go up the creaky stairs**

**I can hear snoring in the room **

**Next to mine.**

**(Daddy's home.)**

**There are drugs of various kinds littered all over**

**Like a parade of colorful stars**

**All glittering in the artificial light.**

**Glitter.**

**Glitter. **

**But they only glitter. **

**I wish they did something more.**

* * *

><p>Sakura comes to school the next day, earlier than usual. One hour before the bell rings. She enjoys the silence as her footsteps echo down the hallway, her feet taking her to wherever they please.<p>

They end up taking her to the Chorus room. It mostly empty, expect a grand piano at the front and a few chairs here and there, scattered like mice. The girl tries out a few keys with gentle fingers, closing her eyes and taking in the honey-like sound they make. A few notes in a simple tune, played over and over again.

Amazing, how such a simple thing can fill a person's soul.

There is a rustling coming from the other room. Quiet footsteps, barely making a sound, accompanied by the occasional noise of moving cloth. Curious, she goes to see what it is.

The pink-haired girl jumps back when she finds a certain red-haired boy standing near the violins, picking out some of them and inspecting them carefully. His head turns to face her.

Gaara's body relaxes when he realizes it is just her, so he turns his head back around again. Sakura watches in fascination as he tentatively takes out a small violin and rubs his hand over the smooth, wooden surface. He plucks a few strings, and sets it back down again and repeats this process with other violins.

He finally decides on a dark brown violin, the color of oak. To Sakura, it looks no different than the other ones, but to Gaara… Maybe it means something more. The redhead takes out a small sketchbook from his pocket. As he's flipping to a blank page, Sakura catches glimpses of humans, animals, plants, shapes, buildings all in black and white. He starts to sketch the outline of the violin, making smooth strokes while glancing at it time to time.

"What are you doing?" She questions.

"What does it look like?"

"No," She shakes her head. "I mean, why are you just drawing a new violin?"

"I like to sketch the violin before I take it home." He replies bluntly.

Sakura blinks, still confused. "Why are you taking it home?"

His hand stops its movement across the paper. "My old violin broke," there is a tint of sadness across his eyes, but it's gone as fast as it had come. There's no emotion in his voice, no longing, Sakura notices.

"I don't think you can just take a school violin home,"

Gaara turns to her, his eyes still blank. "I can pay for it."

When she gives no reply, he turns back to his artwork. After a moment she blurts out, "I went to your house yesterday," He gives no hint that he is even paying attention, but she continues anyways. "There was a man at your house. He chased me away," Still nothing. "There were sobs and shouts coming from your house. What was that about?"

Gaara pauses, and his muscles seem to tense up a bit, before relaxing. "I do not know, neither do I care. But if you must know, one of the pipes exploded yesterday. That must've been it,"

He turns toward her, his eyes gleaming dangerously. "Why are you even here?" He questions. "Why do you care so much for me?"

"Temari asked me to. She's worried about you, you know." The words fall from her mouth, but she regrets it as soon as Gaara narrows his eyes.

"Temari... She doesn't care," He turns back toward the drawing. "She's proved that enough times. She just wants to get away from me, so she gave the responsibility to you. You shouldn't come to our house, you know. We're- _I'm_- not normal,"

"Does that matter?"

"It does," He pauses, before glancing over to meet her gaze.

"Your wrist looks better," Sakura comments, finding no other excuse to make him stop looking at her. But he doesn't avert his gaze to his wrist, but rather, keeps it fixed to meet her eyes.

"…"

There's an empty silence before he meets her gaze. Sakura focuses on those jade orbs, transfixed.

"Why do you care?"

"Why do _you?"_ She retorts.

He turns away and leaves the room, violin stored back in its case and in his frail hands. Sakura is standing there, not sure what to do anymore, when a voice cuts through the silence.

"Sakura?"

She turns her head at the word, and sighs in relief when it's only Tenten. "Oh, hi… I haven't seen you since…"

Tenten makes no comment, instead goes to the violin rack where Gaara was standing mere minutes ago, and starts looking for a violin. "Have you seen Shiho? We're looking for him at practice," When Sakura casts a puzzled look, Tenten laughs, stopping her search for a moment. "I forgot, he hasn't told anyone yet, has he? He joined orchestra on bass. He's brilliant," Tenten is in a daze, but when she catches sight of the clock, she jumps up, grabs the nearest violin, and runs out saying, "See you later, Sakura! Our first concert's next Wednesday!"

Wednesday… six days from now.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Hinata<span>  
><strong>

"Neiji-niisan…"

Neiji glared coldly at his little cousin, making her shut her mouth fearfully. "You should be more careful, Hinata-sama. You _are_ the heiress, and a lot of people are after you. Particularly some dangerous ones,"

"B-But Neiji!"

Another glare was shot in the pale-eyed girl's direction, making her bow her head. "Y-You know it wasn't about me being heiress, Neiji. You know that."

"And because of your… _situation_," Neiji coolly lectures the girl "Is more the reason you should be careful."

Hinata coughs and Neiji is still staring down at her with distaste. "I-I'm sorry, Neiji. I-I needed th-the money. I d-did it for the f-"

"You should've found some other alternative," The Hyuuga boy interrupts. "You have no excuses, you have dirtied the Hyuuga family."

"Y-You won't tell, will y-you?" Hinata manages to say between coughs, eyes filled with sick worry. Slowly, she raises a pale hand to her forehead. As expected, it's still very hot. To her, it feels like someone put her head in an oven, but forgot to put the rest of her body in. Maybe that would've been better, since she's so _cold_ while only her head is hot.

Neiji sighs and gives her a glass of water. "You do realize," he prompts her, "That I'm only doing this because of father?"

Hinata doesn't have a chance to answer, however, because a wave of sleep washes over her, causing her to fall into an endless void of darkness. A dreamless, empty, void.


	10. Interlude Hinata

**A/N Thank you for patiently waiting! Midterms are _finally_ over, so I hope to get back on a normal writing schedule again. This chapter was pieced together very hurriedly, so I'm not exactly proud of it. I hope you enjoy!**

**Many thanks to TheFeyRa, frostbird, and gaarafangirl54 for reviewing!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine.**

* * *

><p><strong>Interlude: Hinata<strong>

_Would you like to spin on the wheel of perfection?_

* * *

><p><strong>Anything.<strong>

**Just _one_ more chance to prove**

**That she _can_ be loyal.**

**But such a chance never came.**

_**Dishonored.**_

* * *

><p>Her pretty raven-black locks of hair fell into around her shoulders. Little five-year-old Hinata graspes her mother's hand tightly.<p>

Her mother smiles, and strokes her soft hair. Hinata squeals in joy, and grabs her mother's hand with both of her own, and swings it around.

That is the last time she sees her mother.

* * *

><p>Her father gets the call early in the morning, when her mother usually comes home. The police inform him that her cars slid off a cliff, since it was very dark and slippery. No body was found.<p>

The funeral was very chaotic. Hinata didn't know what was going on, but everyone was crying. Especially when she asked her father, 'Where's okaasan?'

That was the first time her father has ever hit her.

* * *

><p>Neiji, Hinata's cousin, visits often. He has shining pale eyes, like her. He smiles and calls her pretty, stroking her long hair like her mother used to. She squeals in delight, and hugs him, blushing. Neiji looks shocked for a heartbeat, before smiling and embracing her even tighter.<p>

Her father is teaching her how to spar. He says it is essential for her to learn self-defense. The young Hyuuga heiress knows it is for her own good, but she hates it anyways.

She hates to hurt others. Her father often scolds her for being so fragile, asking her, "How are you going to run the dojo after I retire?"

In her head, she knows Neiji is more fit to rule the dojo, since she's seen him spar so many times. His precise, fluid motions captures her gaze completely, black hair flowing while he kicks and dodges.

(**You wish you were perfect)**

Maybe she does.

When she can't sleep, Neiji tells her about princes and princesses in magical lands, heroic tales of quests and evil beyond her imagination. She likes to submerge herself in one of these stories, pretending that _she_ is the princess that needs saving. And that Neiji is the prince.

She is in love with her own cousin.

The spars with her father get more violent as they twist and jab at each other. At the end of all these sessions, they are both covered in sweat. Once, her father drew blood from her mouth and she stumbled, landing painfully on the floor.

"Get up!" He snaps at her. Hinata responds with a pained groan and get back on her feet. It hurts. Everything hurts.

Neiji and his father are watching from the sidelines. They both frown and Neiji whispers something to his father. Feeling a spark of pride that he is watching her, she aims a direct kick at her father.

But then she hesitates, giving him an advantage. She finds herself knocked back to the ground.

"Do _not_ give your enemy an opening!" He hisses, and leaves the room with stern movements. She gets up slowly, wincing.

Neiji offers a hand, and pulls her up.

"T-Thank you." She stutters out. Neiji just dusts her off and give her a cup of water. She gulps it down.

"Does it hurt?" He asks her with a concerned face. Trying to be brave, she nods.  
>But the pain she tries so <em>hard<em> to hide is shown all over her face.

The heiress sees her cousin's father giving her a concerned look, and then nods to himself, as if agreeing about something.

* * *

><p>"Hinata-sama! Wake up!"<p>

Hinata groans, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. "N…Neiji?"

Neiji lifts her out of bed. Even though she is half-asleep, she feels a faint blush rising on her cheeks. "W-What are you-"

"No time. Get all your things. We're taking you with us to Kohona."

"What?"

"Your father is unstable. We have left him a note. Quickly!"

She inhales sharply and grabs a giant bag from her closet. She shoves all her clothes, money, and dolls in. "W-What if otousan calls the police?"

"He won't." Neiji tells her, almost with a grave look and help her drag the bag outside. They both somehow manage to dump the bag in the trunk and leap inside the car.

"Neiji has explained it all to you, I hope?"

"Yes."

She turns back, and says goodbye to the place she had called home for all her life.

(**Are you going to miss me?)**

* * *

><p>Hinata still likes to listen to stories, even when she is ten.<p>

It has been three years since she left home, and her father hasn't even called the police.

(**It shows how much he **_**loved**_** you)**

Neiji doesn't make her spar with anyone, but instead helps her with her homework from school and comforts her when people make fun of her. They shout "Stupid Hyuuga girl! You stutter and hide behind your cousin! Can you get any _more_ pathetic?"

Neiji doesn't defend her during those times, but he picks her up and dusts her off after they leave.

He truly is a great person.

Tenten comes over to visit Neiji, her chocolate brown buns shaking as she runs to hug him so often. Hinata feels a twinge of jealousy, but pushes it away.

Kiba likes her, because she likes Akamaru. The little puppy is so much like its master, always barking and jumpy and ready to be on the move. Hinata laughs when Kiba draws himself as a half-beast and Akamaru as half-man.

It'll never be real, but people can dream, right?

* * *

><p>Hinata is thirteen, with a friend of her own.<p>

Naruto is an orphan that has run away from the orphanage, he says. His smile is big and his voice is loud, but Hinata doesn't mind. He stands up for her when she is picked on, and comes to her house to bake cookies.

He is great at baking.

"_I always keep my promises. Believe it!"_

Because of that phase he lives on, he has never broken a promise to her. Even once.

She loves how he protects her, and makes her laugh. His happy smiles that make others laugh too, not just her.

He tries to make friends with everyone, even that weird Gaara boy. She doesn't really mind the little redhead that is so often alone, but she admits, he makes her nervous.

* * *

><p>Hinata is fourteen, and in desperate need of money.<p>

Neiji's father isn't getting enough salary, so all family members have gotten jobs to keep the family going. Except her.

Hinata want to help so _so_ badly. Just somehow. Anything.

She hears Ino talking to Karin one day.

They give her and idea.

She decides to try it out.

* * *

><p>"Hinata-sama."<p>

Hinata looks up as Neiji enters her room. "W-What is it oniisan?"

Neiji's eyes are cold and merciless. "I know what you are doing every night."

Hinata's heart almost stops. "I-I don't-"

"Don't lie. You are a terrible liar."

Neiji's eyes pierced into her, and Hinata could feel herself shrinking under his gaze.

"But… I don't-"

"I saw you. Sneaking all those boys into the house. I thought you were _better_ than that, Hinata-sama." Neiji's voice is full of hurt.

"I couldn't get a job, no matter how I tried! I had to help out _somehow_, so I-"

Neiji cut her off with a wave of his hand. "I could've put in a good word for you. You could've just asked. Now you've made a terrible mistake. Do you know what people will call you now?"

"...Yes," Hinata shivers. "So you'll tell ojisan?"

Neiji turns away. "No. But I'll be ashamed of you forever."

* * *

><p>Both Neiji and Tenten starts avoiding her, and Ino casts her smug glances.<p>

But what hurt the most was when Neiji said,

"You are a _shame_ to the Hyuuga family."

**(Help. Someone. _Anyone._**

**Save me from this misery.)**

_**(But you can't stop because…**_

_**Because of your wanting. Your need.)**_

Hinata doesn't deny this.

She _can't_.

* * *

><p>She calls her father one day, just to end it all. He'll probably scream and shout.<p>

But he doesn't. He doesn't demand that she should come back home, he doesn't _care_. He doesn't miss her. He sounds… more… _happy_.

He has adopted a daughter named Hanabi. She has more skill than her, he says.

"If you want, I could give the dojo to her instead…"

Like he is talking to a stranger. He doesn't miss his little daughter at all. There's a bust of pride burning inside her, ready to engulf everything in flames. Voice filled with confidence, she says, "No. I'll take the dojo."

What was she _thinking_?

* * *

><p>Neiji offers to spar with her one day. She accepts, thinking that he might give her another chance if she proves herself.<p>

But he's too fast for her, too skilled. He knocks her over this way and that, like a broken rag doll. She lies, bruised and tired, on the wooden floor. He looks down on her with shame.

"You chose your destiny, Hinata-sama," He says with cold eyes. "Now you must follow it."

**(GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE**

…**.please.)**


	11. Show me

**A/N Thank you to all readers for waiting patiently. This chapter is a bit short, but I hope to make the next one longer.**

**Many thanks to Misery's-Toll, TheFeyRa, sakarami, Amara-nii-chan, and Frostbird for reviewing! Seriously, thank you all so much!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

><p><em>Can you hear the whisper of the trees?<em>

_Can you see the stars that surround you?_

_Can you feel my heart, glimmering with evil?_

_Yes? No?_

* * *

><p><strong>Sakura<strong>

"So, Sakura? Do you have a lot of homework today?"

Sakura snaps back into attention when the blond boy taps her head for the fifth time. Sasuke, who is behind them, sighs in a bored way, staring at the sky like Shikamaru does. Their destination to Hinata's is coming up soon, and it's obvious to any passerby that Naruto is the most excited with his endless chatter and the skip in his step.

Sakura doesn't share his joy. She tries to, but her mind keeps on drifting back to the isolated red haired boy.

This daydreaming gets her another tap from Naruto. "Sakura! Pay attention!"

Sasuke stares at her curiously, making a faint blush rise to the girl's cheeks. Luckily, she is saved by Naruto, who shouts, "We're here!" as soon as the Hyuuga house is in sight.

"Are you feeling okay, Sakura?" Sasuke inquires. She shakes her head and makes her best attempt at a smile.

This visit reminds her of the visit to Kiba. Look how that turned out.

Surprisingly, it's Tenten who opens the door. Her brown eyes blink twice before she closes the door, resuming whatever she was doing. Naruto, known for his repulsiveness, doesn't back down. In fact, he raps the door repeatedly until the door is wrenched back open, this time it's Neiji.

"What do you need?" He asks coldly.

"Isn't it obvious? We're here to see Hinata-"

The door closes again, but not before saying, "She's resting. Don't bother."

Sasuke grumbles something like, "I knew this would happen..." while Naruto fumes outside. Sakura, however, still has her mind somewhere else as she turns around, heading for her workplace. Naruto follows, leaving Sasuke to go the other way, to who-knows-where.

They strike up a conversation, well; it's mostly Naruto ranting about how rude Neiji is while Sakura nods absent-mindedly.

Does Naruto know she's not there?

* * *

><p><strong>Walking is a funny thing.<strong>

**You put one leg in front**

**Of the other.**

**But soon, the leg that was in front**

**Goes in the back again. **

**I don't think it's fair**

**But people will stare if I hop all the way home.**

**Then again,**

**I'm being stared at already.**

**I pass by the old mansion again**

**My blood runs cold when there's a sound of a smack**

**And I ring the doorbell franticly.**

**No answer.**

**Just sobs.**

**I run run run again**

**To home.**

**(If you can stand to call it that.)**

**I press numbers.**

**Lots and lots of numbers.**

**"Hello?**

**Who is this?"**

**"Temari,**

**There's something wrong at your house**

**What are you doing?**

**Where are you?"**

**There's a pause.**

**"I-I know."**

**A click.**

**Gone.**

**(**_**Will you travel to the stars with me?**_

_**Willyouwillyouwillyou...)**_

**I stare at my reflection in the mirror. **

**So pathetic.**

**I look at the cans of beer on the ground.**

**So pathetic.**

**I stare at the caller ID of the person I just talked to.**

**So **_**pathetic**_**.**

**...**

_**Pathetic.**_

* * *

><p>It's night. And Sakura knows this.<p>

Well, precisely, it's eight PM. But she can't help it... She can't help the fact she's drawn to this place. Perhaps by a certain red-haired boy? She can't be sure.

But she goes in anyways, and luckily, it's Temari who answers the door. "S-Sakura!"

"I need to see Gaara." The pink-haired girl says, getting straight to the point. The older looks around, and whispers,

"Okay, but quietly. Father's sleeping."

The pair of them tiptoe past the blaring music coming from the stereo, past a room where loud snores emit from, past the music that's filled with pictures and flowers. Temari leaves her as soon as she reaches the point where they're just outside of the room, only the door and walls separating whatever's inside.

Sakura slips in quietly, barely making a sound. But she doesn't need to worry, there's another sound that's covering up her footsteps.

It's sweet and flowing, creating a sad melody that vibrates and fades away. Sakura sits on the floor, closing the door behind her.

Then it strikes her. _Gaara Sabaku is playing the violin._

And he is. His blood-red hair is illuminated by the soft light streaming in from the overhead window into the otherwise dark room. His usually staring jade eyes are closed, as if in a trance. He's barely looking at where he places his fingers.

Then he pauses, like he can sense a disturbance. His eyes snap open, and he glares over at Sakura. His eyes say, "_What are you doing?_"

"Play more. I like it."

There's a flash of shock across his eyes, but it's gone. He turns back and plays again, but this time his eyes are open, and the music isn't as flowing as it was before. It's rougher, sharper. A storm described as music.

And Sakura _loves_ it. It makes her remember the days back when her mother was still in the world, when her father loved her...

"What is love, you think?" She wonders, half to herself. He stops playing, and stares at her. Sakura blushes when she realizes she said that out loud.

Instead of answering, Gaara puts his violin on his shoulder again and starts playing. It starts out slow and quiet, but it gets faster and faster and faster and _louder_ until it all explodes, the notes furiously squealing until it's all squeaky and unpleasant to hear. And then he stops.

Resting the violin carefully inside the black case, he stands up and says one word.

"Leave."

"Why should I?"

He picks something up from the little table where the cactuses are. "Leave." The redhead says again.

Not knowing what to say, Sakura says the only thing she can think of.

"Do you know how to dance?"

There's an empty pause. Jade eyes inspect her carefully.

"I-I'll leave then," The girl stutters out, moving towards the door.

"I don't."

Her hand is on the doorknob when he says that. She turns around, smiles, and grabs his hands, sending him into a tiny moment of bewilderment.

_'His hands are so cold.'_ She muses to herself. _'So pale.'_

Then, he pushes her hand out of his, backing away. His eyes are like a frightened animal's.

Sakura rolls her eyes teasingly. "It's not that hard, you know. Just..." She twirls, making the world spin, spin, spin, and then she comes to a rest and does a little bow.

"That wasn't dancing, that was twirling."

Six words. Has he ever said six words?

**(You're breaking through)**

"Then show me."

Gaara stares at her again.

"Show me."


	12. Confidence

**A/N Thank you all for waiting patiently! My schedule's been pretty full lately, but a one week break's coming up, so more writing for me~ **

**I can't thank you guys enough. Every single one of your readers out there, thank you. The story has reached 2,500 hits! But special thanks to the reviewers that take the time to write a review, no matter how short. **

**Thanks to TheFeyRa, Misery's-Toll, frostbird, and Amara-nii-chan for reviewing. *gives cookies***

**Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me.**

* * *

><p><em>It's hard to fit into the world<em>

_When every step you take_

_Only leads _

_To more_

_Disaster._

* * *

><p><strong>Sakura<strong>

"You're good, you know that? Ever thought about going into a collage for healing?"

Today, Temari decided not to take her limo to school for once in her life. Instead, she walks with Sakura, brushing snow off the pink-haired girl's shoulders every so often. Sakura shakes her head, mystified at the sight of the flakes dropping from the sky. Temari rambles on anyways.

"A miracle worker, you are. After you left, Gaara actually came down to eat! Amazing, isn't it?"

Sakura nods, paying attention a bit more, but not a lot. "Yeah. Amazing." Of course, she keeps her real thoughts to herself. The thoughts that want to accuse Temari for being a sister that ignores her brother so often. "You know, why don't you just get a therapist instead of asking me? I have to work too... And a professional would be better."

Temari doesn't have time to respond, since they reach the school doors right at that moment. A couple of Temari's friends are inside, waving to her from the fog-covered windows. The senior gives Sakura a wave before disappearing inside the school.

When Sakura enters the school, she is greeted with nothing but the ever annoyed face of Sasuke. There's a very cool tone in his voice when he speaks. "There's a school dance coming up, you know. This Friday, in fact," he stops to cast a glance at the spying fangirls that are behind the pillar. "Are you coming?"

Friday... Two days from now, since it's Wednesday. Sakura responds with an equally cool, "Do I have to?"

"I never said you did."

The two glare at each other for one second, two seconds, before bursting into a short laugh. "But really, I don't have a ride or anything. I don't even have a good dress." She admits.

"I could take you shopping. My treat."

Who are you and what have you done with Sasuke?

"Is Sasuke Uchiha asking me to a dance?" Sakura teases, stuffing her things into her worn-out locker. Even she is marveled by her courage. This is not the shy girl that entered the school doors on the first day here.

Sasuke's eyes gleam in challenge, daring her to object. She doesn't. Instead, the girl does a mock curtsey and says, "I'd be delighted to."

The fangirls squeal in disgust and disappointment, and start whispering to themselves. Even without a single glance at them, it's clear this news will be spread around the whole school before lunch. But that's okay with Sakura. She walks away, heading to her homeroom, leaving Sasuke to go in the other direction, but not before calling out, "I'll take you shopping tomorrow!"

She hears the call, loud and clear. And smiles.

But, after Sakura has disappeared into the classroom, the fangirls suddenly squeal and run. The quiet boy steps out from his dark corner and looks up and down the hallway. No one notices his menacing scowl at the direction Uchiha Sasuke left.

His sea foam eyes, once blank, are now filled with fury.

* * *

><p><strong>Gaara<strong>

_'Are you jealous, sweet Gaara?'_

_'No.'_ He growls, banging his locker shut. It's long past since the bell's rung, but the redhead doesn't care all that much. He knows that the teacher would probably be happier without his presence in the classroom.

_'You should be going to class.'_

"As if you really care," he says out loud, sliding to a crouch with his back against the tiled wall.

_'Just worried.'_ Shukaku smirks; at least, Gaara pictures the voice (who says its name is 'Shukaku') smirking in his brain. He's heard Shukaku laugh and plot in his brain for ages, but it has been getting louder and more interruptive over the past few years. _'You've been stalking the girl for quite awhile. Do you-'_

_'She interests me,'_ He thinks before Shukaku can get any further. _'She doesn't run, or scream, or whimper when she sees me. Like the others.'_

_'That yellow-haired brat doesn't do any of those things when he sees you, but you don't go around stalking _him_.' _the voice points out. _'I'm glad to see you have a potential for stalking. Maybe, if you're lucky, she'll actually notice you in the school day. Then, you'll start falling in _love_ and-'_

Once more, Gaara interrupts the voice. _'I don't love. Never again. Now shut up.'_

_'Bastard,' _Shukaku growls, but falls silent. The bell rings, indicating first period. Gaara slowly slides up the wall once more, picking up his stuff. Then he ponders the idea of skipping first period as well, but decides he'd rather face first period than get a lecture from Temari.

'_Temari.'_ He thinks sadly. A pale hand is on the doorknob. He can already see the faces staring up at him in either fear or disgust.

_'Hurts, when everyone that really cares is just smoke and mirrors, doesn't it?'_

"..."

_'My opinion? Just kill 'em all. It's been so long since I've seen the blood. Sweet Gaara, you'll do it, won't you?'_

Gaara doesn't answer.

* * *

><p>As usual, Gaara sits in the shade by the little hallway, accompanied by Naruto. But, unlike any other day, Hinata is with them. She looks a bit nervous, glancing at the redhead and looking away, blushing. The enthusiastic teen has most of his attention on the Hyuga girl today, and less of his attention on Gaara. The said boy doesn't really mind, and rather enjoys being out of the way. More time for his own thoughts.<p>

The bell rings. Naruto straightens up from his relaxed position by the wall and shoots a look at him. "Aren't you eating lunch? Don't you _ever_ eat lunch?"

Green eyes stare. "I've had enough at home." **(To you, enough is **_**nothing**_**)**

Naruto shrugs. "Suit yourself. Remind me to go to your house sometime from dinner. Temari must be one hell of a cook."

After memories of burnt, mashed-up, mutinous food, Gaara can't agree. Naruto grasps Hinata's hand and pulls her down the hall, making her squeak with surprise and turn bright red.

It's obvious there's a sort of close bond between them, something that just can't be reached by certain individuals, including himself. Not that he really minds, or cares.

With a pale hand, he brushes his crimson locks over the word that's caused him so much pain. So much pain.

_'What are you trying to do, starve yourself?'_ Shukaku snorts. Instead of answering, he ducks into an air duct and retrieves his notebook that he hid earlier during the week. _'You know,' _Shukaku comments again as he's crawling back out _'People call you a psychopath, but to be honest, I think you're just like any other boy. Getting into trouble, hating the world...'_

This would help, if it weren't coming from another psychopath. But again, Shukaku is technically himself, just another illusion in his brain that's trying to calm himself. So, in reality, it's just himself trying to calm himself down. All these thoughts make Gaara's head hurt. Didn't he hate therapists?

_'I'm not a doctor,'_ growl Shukaku, making Gaara even more freaked out. Even after all these years, he won't be able to understand how he could make a voice so real in his head.

Weirdly, the redhead's thoughts drift back to Sakura, remembering how she calmed _him_, and he didn't attack _her..._ Why didn't he?

_'Why didn't I?'_

In his head, Shukaku cackles.

* * *

><p>The house is empty when he comes home, as to be expected. Temari's at work and his father's probably at a bar or something. The latter makes him more relieved than nervous. Setting his bookbag carelessly on the floor and watches it skid away across the newly-polished tiles.<p>

Gaara proceeds to go to his room, only pausing to water the flowers where Kankurou's picture is. Gardening is, surprisingly, a talent of his. The water gently pit-pats down the small blossoms and falls onto the darkening soil. The redhead stops and stares at the worn-out picture, but manages to turn away.

Plunking his gourd down on the ground, he sighs and plops down on the floor along with it. Little bits of golden flakes fall from the cracks in the cork that seals it, but the boy really doesn't care. Instead, his mind wanders to the pink-haired girl again.

Her jade eyes are truly striking. It's even more noticeable than her cherry-pink hair, in Gaara's opinion. Not to mention her bright smile and sweet voice. The thought of all that in the Uchiha's hands...

He scowls and clenches his fists. That cannot happen. It will never happen, at least, not while he's aiming for her as well. A burning rage **(admit it. **_**Compassion**_**)** starts in his chest and threatens to bust out in his throat. He manages to swallow it down.

Thinking some more, a wicked smirk spreads across his face. Not a smile, but a smirk.

A dangerous one, at that.

* * *

><p><strong>Sakura<strong>

**He did take me out shopping after all.**

**I tried on dresses for the first time in my life.**

**I went shopping.**

**I looked for clothes.**

**Pretty clothes, not second-hand.**

**Amazing.**

**I dig through the racks**

**Searching for the perfect one.**

**I hold up various colors**

**And ask him,**

**"Is this okay?"**

**For all the questions, he nods**

**Not caring about the price. **

**I wonder if he is rich.**

**Sasuke just stares at me all the while**

**Not taking**

**His eyes off.**

**I become self-conscious**

**(smirk from the back of my mind)**

**And blush rather violently.**

**Why is he staring?**

**I try to change the awkwardness.**

**"The dance... is Friday, right?"**

**"Right."**

**"Is it past four? Because I have work until-"**

**"It is." **

**He's still staring. His eyes never leave me.**

**I blush even more.**

**What's wrong with me?**

**Finally, I choose one.**

**It's white**

**With almost transparent frills**

**Sparkles sprinkled here and there.**

**They gleam, making me look like I wear snow**

**With **

_**Stars.**_

**Perfect for December.**

**Just**

_**Perfect**_**.**

**I ask Sasuke,**

**and he says it's perfect too.**

**Although, he was staring at my face**

**So I can't tell if he's really talking about the dress.**

**Or me. **

**I'm counting the days.**

* * *

><p><strong>"Tell me again, when's the dance?"<strong>

**He rolls his eyes.**

**I see him doing so from the rearview mirror.**

**"December seventeenth, stupid." **

**When did we get so close? I hope my red cheeks don't show.**

**"Uh, yeah. Right."**

**It begins to snow.**

**The white looks yellow**

**Under the light of the streetlamps.**

**He drops me off at my rickety house**

**And suddenly I'm embarrassed. **

**He looks up and down the building before saying,**

**"Nice house."**

**"Thanks."**

**Sasuke clears his throat**

**...awkwardly?**

**"Well, see you."**

**"Yeah."**

**I can't quite say why**

**But it feels like betrayal.**

**(Are you that innocent?)**

* * *

><p>Clutching the shopping bag, she quietly steps into the house, careful not to make a sound. As Sakura's closing the door, there's a voice behind her, disguising fury.<p>

"What. Are. You. Doing?"

Paralyzed with fear, she slowly turns around to meet the unfocused eyes of her father. **(Father? He's not even **_**family**_**)** Looking at his gaze and seeing his confused state, along with his slurred speech; it's almost impossible to miss that he's drunk.

"Answer my question!" He roars, face red. His daughter trembles in fear, jade eyes wide.

"I don't-"

"That dress!" The man grabs it out of her frail hands and dumps the contents on the floor. "This dress- It costs a hell load of money, doesn't it?" When she doesn't reply, he gets even more outraged. "ANSWER ME!"

"Y-Yes," Sakura squeaks. Even though her words are close to a whisper, Sakura's father hears it nice and clear. Even in his drunken state.

"Where did you get the money? You stole it, didn't ya?"

"N-No, a friend-"

He doesn't listen, however, as he swipes the now tainted dress from the floor and holds in between his hands. Realizing what he's about to do, Sakura grabs the frills and pulls it out of her father's grip. "_It was a gift!"_

"_Gift my ass, ya bitch!"_

This evolves into a sort of tug-a-war, the dress being pulled back and forth between their hands. It's teen verses drunken mad, but Sakura's got the upper hand when the man begins to sway from the nausea and throbbing pains in his head.

She manages to pull it away and dash up the stairs. Slamming the door shut, she breathes a sigh of relief when the room she ran into has a lock on it. The person on the other side is clearly pounding and kicking the door, mad with rage and alcohol.

"SAKURA HARUNO, I AM YOUR FATHER AND I DEMAND-"

"YOU'RE NOT HIM!" Sakura cries, tears dripping down her face but voice confident. "YOU'LL NEVER BE HIM!"

"YOU BITCH, FUCKIN' LITTLE-"

It goes on like this for awhile before his voice gets sore and her... 'father' gives up and goes into the safety of his room. Sakura wipes her jade-green eyes on her dusty sheets, and checks her appearance in the mirror.

**(When did you start caring?)**

Red eyes, scuffled hair, nothing a bit of water and hair brush can't fix. She tries smiling, but it's obvious that it's fake.

**(Controlitcontrolit)**

The little movement of cloth catches her attention. She rises, and holds the dress tight to her body.

Embrace.


	13. Trails of Ash

**A/N Thank you for waiting for... a month! I'm really sorry about that! I'll get to details at the bottom. **

**Thank you to Misery's-Toll, frostbird, TheFeyRa, and Cindy Medeiros for reviewing!**

**Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine.**

* * *

><p><em>Trails of ash<em>

_Are all that remain_

_From the things in our lives_

_On fire_

_(...Not that you'd care.)_

* * *

><p><strong>Hinata<strong>

"See you Hinata!"

"Y-Yeah!"

Hinata sees the brunette meeting up with her cousin as soon as she turns the corner. Everything's fine.

Sakura walks up and tilts her head, smiling. "Hinata! Are you going to the dance?" Her friend is positively beaming at her when she says these things.

"N-No, I've got other things..."

Sakura smiles mischievously. "That's too bad. I think Naruto was planning on asking..."

Her heart practically leaps out of her chest. "He wouldn't, he's too popular," she responds.

"I bet he would. I mean, he's been staring at you..."

Hinata shakes her head. "You just want me to go. And besides, why do you want to know? You're already going with Sasuke..." There's a tiny tinge of jealousy in her voice, but Sakura catches it anyway.

"Oh, come on! He's basically the one who asked me first, I just-"

"Put it into words, yes." There's an awkward silence as they walk down the road together. "So, where are you going?"

"Work."

There's something off about Sakura today, but Hinata can't put her finger on it. Especially when the pink-haired girl tries to change the topic. Sakura never tries to change the topic.

"D-Did you see Kiba today during Art? He was cracking these stupid jokes. Naruto threatened to spill paint over his head if he didn't stop." Sakura lets out a forced laugh. "Stupid, huh?"

"Sakura, are you-"

"Oh, look, I'm running late! See you, Hinata!"

She dashes off the to the other direction, leaving a confused Hinata standing on the sidewalk. There's nobody at home today.

* * *

><p><em>'Eleven tomorrow?'<em>

_'Yes.'_

The murky sky doesn't improve the mood much, even less so as it starts to drizzle. The rain falls on her like beads. She sighs, for she didn't bring an umbrella or anything else to protect herself from the water. Hopefully, it'll only be passing through.

_'You seem like you do this often.'_

_'I guess.'_

Someone rushes by, a briefcase on their head. They didn't expect the rain either. The man's footsteps splash a puddle, causing the water drops to jump out and attack the hem of her skirt.

She pauses to inspect the damage, which isn't much. If she gets home dry enough, she won't catch a cold. The stain of water is quickly inching up, and the rain starts to fall harder. The droplets are practically bullets now, Slapping the pavement and exploding every which way.

_'It should be snowing,'_ she thinks numbly. Hugging her backpack to protect it from the rain, she starts to run. With the slippery pavement and her heels, it proves to be quite a challenge.

The heavy drops are starting to obscure her vision, causing her to stumble this way and that. Cars zoom by, not even caring to glance at the high school girl.

_'Is this the Hyuga heiress? Really?'_

_'What a shame.'_

She loses her footing. For a moment, she seems to stop in time, hanging in midair. Hinata's thoughts go back to the stars Sakura draws, and then hides from others.

A hand grabs the heiress' wrist, catching her just before the impact. Her skirt is barely skimming the wet cement.

"You should really be more careful. Lucky I was passing by."

"Kiba," she whispers. Without a word, the boy hauls her up with powerful arms, and gives her an umbrella.

"You're lucky I brought a spare. Luck seems to chase you around, doesn't it?" He gives a dog-like laugh. A more of an unsettling laugh that a reassuring one. Nonetheless, Hinata gives a little dip of her head.

"Thank you."

"No prob. Where's Naruto? That jerk should've been walking with you today."

Hinata goes a little red at the insult, but answers his question. "Work. It's not his fault that the weather decided to rebel on us..."

That gets another laugh out of the Inuzuka, but more friendly this time. "I'll walk you home. Like the good ol' days, right?"

Hinata takes that moment to search Kiba's face. Tattooed triangles, sharp fangs, 'I'm-gonna-get-you' grin.

"Hinata?"

She snaps back into reality. "S-Sorry, zoned out there."

"You seem determined to catch a cold. Are you sure you're alright?"

"Mm hm."

The rain seems to lighten a little, but it might be her imagination. Kiba bows in a exaggerated sort of way and says, "Shall I escort you home, m' lady?" in a accented voice.

Hinata lets out a tinkling laugh that no one can hear but herself. "Why, I'd be honored," she teases. Just like the old days.

There's still something wrong. And like before, she can't quite put her finger on it.

There are no mentions of Akamaru.

* * *

><p>"Thanks, Kiba. For bringing me home."<p>

The said boy waves it off with a flourish. "I said it wasn't a problem, didn't I? But since you're home safe, I think I'll be going-"

A surge of red comes up to Hinata's face as she blurts out her next words. "K-Kiba, are you going to the dance?"

Silence. Then a laugh. "What?"

"A-Are you going t-to the dance of F-Friday?"

"No, why?" Kiba asks with a questioning look.

"Since y-you aren't," she stutters out, her voice getting smaller each word, "d-do you want to go to the movies with me?"

Kiba blinks a couple of times, before smirking. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. What?"

"I said," Hinata says, a little louder, "do you want to come to the movies with me?"

"That'd be good. Meet up at seven?"

"S-Sure."

Did Kiba just accept her invitation? She doesn't know. The world is spinning. She barely notices when she waves to him as he goes home, barely notices when she collapses on the couch, barely notices when her face starts to burn.

_'But wasn't I planning to ask Naruto?'_

A pale hand goes up to her forehead. The cold of her wet, clammy skin helps.

_'A secret. I'll keep it a secret. Kiba will too, I hope.'_

* * *

><p><em>'Oh, so you're not coming to the dance?'<em>

Naruto's voice is cheerful, but Hinata can still see him wince in her mind. Barely, but it's there. Hinata regrets asking Kiba out now. She wants to blurt it out, confess, but there aren't words. Instead she asks, "A-Are you?"

"I mean, I was planning to, but if _you_ aren't going..."

There's an awkward pause, and it still lingers when Naruto speaks again. "I mean, it's not fun without the whole gang, you know? Sasuke and Sakura are going, so I thought that you were too. I guess I could go with Gaara-" a shudder runs through-" but then again, he's not that social. He's a good kid, but, I mean, I thought that maybe _you-"_

A faint shout interrupts him, in which Naruto responds with an 'I'm coming!' and a quick 'see ya!' to her. Though she has the strangest feeling that she hangs up before him.

* * *

><p>For the hundredth time within the hour she's been waiting, Hinata glances up at the clock and sighs dejectedly when it shows six twenty-three in flashing pink letters. For a moment, she wonders what to wear and stares at her reflection in the mirror. A simple long-sleeved pale shirt matched with light brown pants. She decides against changing, since it'll seem more like a date then.<p>

_Isn't it?_

Long, sleek hair flies as she twirls, just to show off. She's teleported for a moment into a world that's not hers, but hers at the same time. Sunshine covers the ground and she's laughing, twirling, scent of flowers filling her nose.

_'Hinata-sama!'_

Hinata falls with a nice little thump on the ground. For the first time, her father (who's watching from the porch) doesn't care that her new dress has gotten dirty. Because his laugh, which has been absent for some time, is back on his face, bright and clear. A faceless figure bends down and offers his hand, laughing.

_'Hinata-sama!'_

Her words come out smooth, like a river that has no obstacles to block it. For the first time, she doesn't stutter as she babbles away in happiness.

"Hinata-sama!"

The brunette opens her eyes to find herself surrounded by the warm blankets of her bed. Her head whips toward the clock that now flashes urgently, seven-zero-eight. The world seems to spin when her hand grabs the nearest brush and rips through her hair. She says goodbye to her cousin, who is rolling his eyes, muttering under his breath.

The brush drops to the floor with a clatter, forgotten. Skidding to a hurried stop right by the doorway, Hinata breathes out and puts on her widest smile. The door opens.

"Ready?"

Thankfully, Kiba isn't dressed that formally either. Ripped jeans, gray sweater with a fur hood that outlines his casual smirk. He looks more like Kiba than he's had in days. Hinata smiles.

"Are you ready to go, m' lady?"

He's still playing that childish game from before. Neji smirks from the stairwell, but calls to her, "Be back before eleven!"

Maybe he still does care. These thoughts fail to escape her when Kiba leads her out, teasing her the whole way.

The movie of their choice is "Battlefield". It's about a boy who loses his way in a battlefield, and finds a young girl, wounded, fallen, beneath a bush. He helps her, only to learn that she is a wanted killer. But he falls in love with her and takes her back to his home in London, where she escapes. When he corners her in an alley and confesses, she kills him. Coming to her senses, she shoots herself to be with him.

So unreal. No one would do that, ever. But at least there isn't a happy ending. Hinata _loathes_ happy endings. (Surprising.) Kiba agrees to the movie, since there's a _bit_ of violence in it. But still, he falls asleep, about halfway through. When the violent parts flash, Hinata squeals and grabs his sweater and buries her face into it, without him waking up.

When the movie ends, Kiba looks at the dark stains on his sweater, then at Hinata, then at his sweater, and shrugs with a smirk. A secretive smirk as if he knows something. She quickly improvises, and drags him to the concession stands, blushing furiously.

_Is this weird?_

They get a little too close. Before she can react, his lips are pressing against hers. Something's wrong. There's no spark. No love. No _real_ love.

Hinata's the one to pull apart first, her face vivid red. Kiba winces a tiny bit, and stares into her eyes.

"W-We should go..."

"Right..."

No words are exchanged all the way to her home, except a 'see you later' from each of them. She dashes upstairs, ignoring the worried call from Neji and her uncle. The thought doesn't go away from her mind, no matter how annoying it is. Too many... possibilities...

_Would it have been different with Naruto?_

* * *

><p><strong>Gaara<strong>

"Turn the TV down!"

"I like it!"

The ponytailed boy snorts, sinking deeper into the couch. "Troublesome... I'm _trying_ to study!"

Temari sticks her tongue out at him. "Too bad, should've done that before you came here!"

Gaara has his eyes scrunched up in concentration, trying to block out all sounds, alternating between Shukaku's wild screeches and the useless babble from the television. "Shut up," he breathes, knowing only him and Shukaku would be able to hear it.

"You act like a child," Shikamaru complains, tossing his books aside. "I'm younger than you, and I seem more responsible. Even your brother's annoyed at you."

To prove the boy's point, Gaara gives Temari the 'shut the hell up' glare. She falters, but springs back up. "Aw, Gaara wouldn't be mad at _me!_" It only makes the redhead's scowl deepen. Not that it matters, anyways.

He climbs the stairs and heads to his room before Shikamaru and Temari start flirting again. His sister was-is- so unpredictable. One moment she'd be all afraid and the next she'd be happy and cheerful and calling him _Gaara-bear._

The darkness of his room comforts Gaara. It isn't complete because of the slivers of light beaming through the window on the ceiling, but it's close enough. He doesn't _mind_ the light; he just doesn't like overused light.

People and their rumors.

_In fact,_ he thinks over Shukaku's screaming, _the stars are really bright tonight._

_Soft. You're becoming soft. _Shukaku 'kindly' informs him. And he is. Ever since Kankuro, ever since Dad, ever since Naruto.

Ever since Sakura.

And _that's _why he's determined not to let the Uchiha win.

The moon's getting higher by the minute, which means more light comes down, pouring into the room. He can't say 'small' because it's bigger than Kankuro's room, which has to count for something. His bright red cell phone (which he doesn't need anyways, but would that stop Temari?) vibrates, shattering the silence. It also makes Gaara very annoyed for not turning off that damn thing earlier.

The caller ID flashes 'Naruto'. The redhead looks at the pale clock tacked up to the opposite wall. Eleven thirty-ish.

He ignores it. He _decides_ to ignore it. The phone doesn't give up, however. It's practically _begging_ to be picked up. After the third vibrate, he snatches it up and growls, "What?"

"Thank kami!" Naruto cheers from the other end. Was the Japanese really necessary? "I was hoping you'd pick up! Still as snappy as ever."

"Eleven-thirty," Gaara points out. There's no real use for words, in his world. "Make it quick."

"It's not like you sleep anyways."

"_You_ should be."

"Picky, picky," his caller scolds jokingly. "Anywho, I just called to ask if you're going to the dance tomorrow."

"Why should I? It's not like people will _appreciate _me more if I do."

"They might," Naruto pleads. "Come on, I don't have anyone to go to the dance to! Sasuke's going with-"

A growl from Gaara makes Naruto trail of at the end of his sentence. Then the voice shouts in realization. "You like _Sakura?_"

Shukaku starts crackling madly at his statement, which makes it even harder to come up with a reply. It makes it _much_ harder to control the slight blush coming at his face.

_You're growing soft! _the demon laughs. _Told you! Told you!_

"_No!"_ he shouts to both of them. Everything goes silent, including the chatter downstairs. Noticing this, Gaara takes a few moments to calm down. "No," he repeats, at a normal level of voice. "I just don't like _Sasuke_."

"Come on, Gaara!" Naruto says, steering clear away from the topic of Sakura. It's almost impossible to miss the nervous tone in his voice, though. "I mean, he's a stupid, deceiving, emo bastard, but he's _our_ stupid, deceiving, emo bastard!"

"Your," the redhead corrects him. "I can't even believe I'm talking on the damn _cell phone_ this long, with _you._ Just get to the point."

There's a silence.

"I don't have anyone to go the dance with," Naruto (finally) deadpans.

"_You_ don't?"

"I mean... Plenty of girls have asked me, but I'd rather go with someone who's close to me, you know?"

"Hinata?" Gaara inquires. He doesn't know much about the shy girl, but he does know that Naruto likes her.

"She's not coming."

Gaara can actually _hear_ Naruto's energy bubble deflating.

"My answer is-"

"YES!"

Temari busts in through the door, which, did I mention, was _goddamned locked? _Shikamaru is protesting behind her, his string of words combining with Naruto's frantic, "What the noodles was _that?"_

His sister forces the phone out of his grip, which is actually a very brave act, considering the look of murder on Gaara's face. Or, she didn't notice.

"He's coming!" Temari trills and hangs up. Then she spots the look on his face.

Even she knows to back off.

"I-It's good for you, Gaara!" she stutters. "Y-You haven't been out lately, and I-I just wanted you to..."

She runs. Shikamaru stays, not bothering to react. He leans against the doorway in a relaxed manner, staring straight into his jade-green orbs.

"I'll talk to her." The brunette turns away before looking at Gaara again. "But she's right you know. She's deadly afraid of you at times, even though she doesn't try to show it."

"As is everyone."

"That's where you're _wrong._ What about Naruto? What about Sakura? What about every other person who's been trying to get through to you?"

That's the weird thing.

_He doesn't know._

* * *

><p><strong>AN This chapterwas _really_ hard to write. I'm kind of mad at myself that it wasn't at least 15 pages (which is what you'd be expecting), but I kept on writing scenes and erasing, writing, erasing, on and on. Darn that writers' block. **

**Thank you to all who are still reading after the 1 month hiatus! I would be really happy if you reviewed! Please? **


	14. HalfChapter: Insanity

**A/N Well... Hello. **

**Um... I have something to confess...**

**I got a new computer (yay!), but while I was moving the files, I forgot to... add... some things. So... the chapter that was_ supposed_ to be the dance... is gone. So this chapter is basically something I just quickly typed up to reassure you that I'm not abandoning this; just a little filler-sort-of-thing. Also, this takes place_ after_ the dance. The dance will be typed and made into the next chapter. Just look at this as a... foreshadowing sort of thing. Yeah... I'm a bit confused too. I hope you're okay with it.**

**On the bright side, say hello to my new beta, who wanted to be called Kawaki00 for the purposes of this story. Many thanks to her for volunteering to beta this story! (This chapter was not beta-ed.)**

**Thank you to all who reviewed, and more thanks to your patience! **

**Disclaimer: Naruto and its characters are not mine.**

* * *

><p>She think she's going crazy sometimes, you know?<p>

Well, she's _been_ crazy (mother_dead, _how could she not?) but not like _crazycrazy_ when the whole world just suddenly turns on you for no reason at all.

But she figures that she's just turned her back on the world because, hell, _why not_ (not the little girl with the fans, ain't 'ya?) but the world apparently includes her one unpredictable and another sleep-induced (_I'm telling you, he's just sleeping, damnit!) _brothers, both whom actually _need_ her help because their violent _(really? That's it?) _father doesn't give a damn.

And _then_ she goes and dumps all her problems on the pinky-pie, and just _runs off_ with her social life (you were always a daddy's girl) and then that boy _(what was his name again?) _blames her and tells her to fix everything.

But everything can't be fixed.

Oh, she knows now. She knows that the world has turned her back on _her_. Oh, yes. Ha. And then on some nights he stares into the mirror and _laughs_ at the girl who stares back, sneering down with pity. Too bad for her, being stuck behind that pane of glass.

Too bad for me, stuck behind that pain of life.

She likes to pretend it wasn't her. Like how she pretends it's her brother's fault sometimes, sometimes cowering behind that boy, sometimes turning away, sometimes ignoring, and sometimes just going full-on. Like how she told the police that night. (_I told you, he's sleeping! Why are you taking him away?) _

And this is the one chance she could've had _fun_.

Then her brother messes it up by _assaulting _another boy! She thought he was better! Normal! (_because being different is _bad_, remember)_ Now they'll have to pay charges and fees and _theydon'thavethatkindofmoneydamnit._

Her _brother_ is still stuck in that stupid illusion that they do have the green.

Unless it's _her_ that's being ignorant, stuck in her own world that they _don't_ have money and it's her brother's fault, as usual?

_(The monsters aren't real, Gaara.)_

But it still doesn't stop her from screaming her lungs out when she sees _allthatblood_ and suddenly she forgets (_refuses to believe)_ when she got there, when her brother had blood on his hands, when her life was such a mess.

Then, _oh then, _that blond-haired _bitch_ that suddenly started whispering that he was going out with that _pinky._ Really? Ha! And pigs fly. And it's just worst for her, because he's not coming out, not eating, just punching and punching and laughing like a _maniac._

Perhaps he's just copying her. She does it often enough.

Then he'll die and she'll be _so alone _(getting ahead of yourself, no?) and she'll put on that fake mask and that prince daddy's always been telling her about will _sweep_ her off her feet and take her to his beautiful palace guarded by dragons that keep away pinkies and blond bitches.

_Lalalala happy~ No?_

What? It's not an illusion, no. It isn't, I'm telling you! Perfectly reasonable!

Yes, she'll go far far away. Far away from everything that ever got into her life, _ever. _She'll be in a happy (fake) world.

Her family's had their share of craziness. From their ancestors who believed in those Japanese myths about the tailed beasts, to the ones that went crazy. To _her_ (MINE!) father, who lost his mind and sanity, to their mother who actually _loved._ That's crazy. A fantasy. Myths for children, kind of like the tailed-beasts, but more impossible.

There is no _perfect_ love in the world, except in her dreams of that one prince charming.

Fun fun fun fun fun. We'll all have such _fun._

_Lalalala happy~ _

No more responsibilities, no more rules! Just free free free!

Yes, she really _is_ crazy, isn't she?

Oh, wait! The sun's rising.

Time to put on the mask again. What _fun._

_Monsters... aren't real... _

_But... that doesn't mean they can't kill you._

* * *

><p><strong>Did anyone get the hidden reference? See you next chapter!<strong>


	15. Stretch

**A/N Yay! Quick update! :D**

**The reviewers from both chapter 13 and 14: frostbird, Misery's-Toll, , LibertyForFreedom455, XxKiraKojimaxX, eveningstarxD**

**Thank you all so much for reviewing!**

* * *

><p><em>Just out of reach...<em>

* * *

><p><strong>Sakura<strong>

It wasn't anything special, really.

It _isn't_ anything special, really.

Nope. It's not special that Sasuke shows up in a freaking _limo_ wearing a _tux _(something his fangirls would _die_ over) with that stupid _smirk _on his face and that glint of _smugness_ that seems to fill the whole room.

Compared to him, she looks like nothing, a stray bulb that is weakening, weakening, until.. _pop!_ Light gone. She can feel the surge of red threatening to bloom over her cheeks, even though it probably won't show under the dim moonlight.

"You ready?" he asks.

She nods, and Saskue ushers her into the front seat, right next to him. Sakura's head is spinning, making her question her sanity. Is she really smiling? (Well, in a dazed sort of way, but smiling no less) Is she smiling at _him_ or the _limo_ or the _tuxedo_ or what? Is she really _laughing_ and _joking_ with _Sasuke? _To ensure the world makes sense, she establishes a point rather quickly.

"We're just going as friends."

A point that sucks all the comfort out of the air instantly, leaving Sakura to deal with the sudden awkwardness.

"...Right?"

For about a second, maybe, Sasuke grips a bit tighter on the steering wheel. "Right."

The girl wonders if he's even qualified to drive.

Bright lights are flying out onto the dark pathway when they arrive. By the sound of it, tons of people have already entered, surprisingly. And Sakura thought _they_ were early.

"The food and stuff. It runs out," Sasuke states in a matter-of-fact tone. His face is expressionless, except that wave of calm that's always there, accompanied by the laid-back look in his eyes. Some of the other girls that are also arriving shoot scowls at Sakura out of jealousy.

She wishes she was like Saskue sometimes. Like now. Sakura latches onto the sleeve of his tux and drags him inside.

* * *

><p>The building is full of people, all dancing or chatting beneath the blaring music (ears hurting) and wild strobe lights (eyes stinging). Sasuke apparently agrees, for he doesn't complain when she drags the two of them to the hallway where a few tables and chairs are set up rather messily. Sakura blinks a few times to make sure that her eyes are still working, and sighs.<p>

"Sakura? Sasuke? What are you doing here?"

The surprised voice echoes down through the hallway, creating a distant effect, but it's rather obvious whose voice it belongs to.

"Naruto?"

The blond comes running with a smile plastered on his face. "I never expect to- Why are you-?"

Then he halts just in front of them, eyeing from left to right carefully. Something sparks in his (thick) head. "You...came..._together?_"

Sakura is about to object when Sasuke says, "Yeah. We came here together."

Naruto's eyes widen. Sasuke glares at him. "Well then, who did _you_ come with? Unless you came alone, of course." The last part is almost a threat; one that Naruto notices.

"I did come with someone, for your information," Naruto snaps. "I came with Gaara."

"I didn't know you were gay."

Naruto hits him on the back of the head. Sasuke, clearly not pleased with this reaction, he changes tactics.

"Pssh. That _monster?_ Really? Strange company you keep. He's mad, you're mad; it all works out." The hatred in his tone makes Sakura flinch, but neither of the boys notice.

As if Naruto wasn't stressed enough already.

"Well, if you haven't _noticed,_ you're part of that 'strange company', so I suggest you shut up about stuff you don't know."

"What I _know_ is that the rumors _are_ true. If you're not careful, you're next."

The corner of Naruto's eye twitches. "He's okay, you know. Not as bad, just a bit quiet, that's all. No one's just ever given him a _chance-" _

And that's all Sakura hears. She walks back into the gym, feeling a little bit more light-headed than before. Every tiny flash of light seems to be either dark red or jade.

_You're looking for him._

_Yes. Yes I am._

After what seems like ages of looking, her eyes start to get tired again from the constantly flashing lights, and she decides to go back out into the hallway.

She gets a drink of water, just enough time to think about what to do next. Naruto is, apparently, gone, so is Sasuke. Hinata doesn't seem to be here, nor does, well, just about any other face she knows.

Wiping the stray beads of water around her mouth on her arm, she sighs deeply.

There's a distant scream, coming from the other end of the hall, where the path turns a corner. Sakura shrugs it off, thinking it's just another girl, excited for whatever reason...

But wait. The gym is the other way, where the light is brighter. Her heart stops.

Then she runs.

The other way? Yes.

That is, if she was the Sakura before, scared of everything and everyone, afraid of facing any dangers, staying out of the way. It's a strange hope, but hope nonetheless.

Temari is standing in Shikamaru's grasp, staring with glazed eyes into what appears to be an empty classroom. Her eyes meet brown ones.

Shikamaru shakes his head. "I don't think you should go in. Can you get-"

But she barges past his flimsy attempt to block off the door. Inside, she finds scattered desks and chairs, abused. The few that have managed to avoid the violence has been pushed out of the way, near the walls.

Sasuke lays on one of these desks, eyes closed. A part of his mouth is smeared with blood, and a black-blue bruise is starting to appear on his forehead, glossy with sweat. Near him, standing in the shadows, is Gaara, staring at the motionless body. He's grinning, but not a genuine grin that one makes to express happiness. More of something that a killer makes, a combination of insanity and cruel glee molded into a smile. Monster.

The redhead's eyes are fearful, but is the only thing that betrays instability. Does a monster fear its actions?

Shikamaru's voice comes from the doorway. "I told you. I've called his brother. He hasn't gotten anything worse, like a fractured skull. He only crashed into the desk, that's all."

So he says. The specks of blood on Gaara's knuckles say different.

"Gaara?" she asks, approaching the boy with caution. He seems to not hear her, still staring at Sasuke. Now that she's closer, a slight tremble of his body is visible, along with small movements of his lips.

The words are no more than a breath of wind, but also something more.

"Think that he could sneak up on me and Shukaku, huh? I showed him... Hope you're happy, did this for you..."

Gulping, she takes another step. Temari's wild sobbing can still be heard, along with the slurred 'I thought he was okay! He was okay!' mixed in between.

_He is okay._

She puts a hand on his shoulder. She can feel him tense beneath her touch, his breath getting faster. For a moment, Sakura expects him to punch her, or something. But nothing comes. Getting braver by the moment, she dares to squeeze reassuringly.

* * *

><p><strong>Itachi comes.<strong>

**Sasuke's brother.**

**Do you know what this reminds me of?**

**That day.**

**When I helped Gaara.**

**I hope he'll (**_**who?)**_** be alright.**

**He'll be alright.**

**Gaara.**

**Stupid.**

**This is a hospital.**

**He is my patient.**

**Just a patient. Just a person in need.**

**Shikamaru is gone. Temari is gone.**

**This is **_**my**_** chance.**

**Slowly, drag him down to the floor.**

**Confusion emits from his being.**

**"I'm here."**

**Guilt. Well, not quite, but close. **

**His eyes are not **_**stars**_**, bringing hope.**

**I shall make them into stars.**

**I am not afraid. My fortress is strong.**

_**(Of course.)**_

**Run hand through hair. It feels like sand; rough, but slides through fingers easily.**

**But there's a spark in his eyes. Pale hands push away.**

**Push me away. Deep growl.**

_**(Not yet. Too fast. Gradually.)**_

**Yes. The pyramids weren't built in a day, and neither will my bridge to him.**

**The silence is golden.**

**"You came with him, right?"**

**His voice is a rasp, containing none of its usual smooth. **

**"Yes."**

**There. Another flash.**

**"...Gomen."**

**I wish I knew what he was saying.**

**Doesn't sound like English.**

**I reach for his hand. **

_**BAM**_

**Door bursts open. I am a deer in headlights.**

**I thought my fortress was strong.**

**"Ha! So you **_**are**_** dating! Knew it knew it **_**knew it!"**_** Laughter of a crow.**

**Apparently, Ino's cannons are stronger.**

**(She doesn't **_**know**_** anything.)**

**The walls crumble. So does the bridge. Everything collapses into one, hopeless pile.**

**I run.**

**Push him away and run.**


	16. Games of Chase

**A/N Many thanks to the reviewers and everyone that has been waiting patiently. Lots of things have come up in my life, sorry about that.**_  
><em>

**Enjoy.**

* * *

><p><em>Runrunrunrun<em>

_If you can, that is._

_Sorry, are your legs broken?_

_I didn't notice. Only your heart._

_Are you crying?_

* * *

><p><strong>Sakura<strong>

They avoid each other. Like they have the plague.

Oh wait, correction. _She_ avoids _him._ But he doesn't protest, so that means he doesn't want to face her either. Which is perfectly fine with Sakura.

But she's never been that truthful to herself, really.

It's a weird winter, really. The snow is nonexistent, replaced by the rain. Too much rain.

Sakura's feet splash on the puddles by the road _(splash splish)_ while she runs to the pathway that leads to Hinata's house. In her hands are bags of food that are threatening to break free.

A pale eyed boy opens the door. Sakura, steps back, confused. "Hina...ta?"

The boy rolls his eyes and scoffs, which, in turn, causes Sakura to twitch.

"My _cousin_," the boy says, as if stating the obvious, "is upstairs."

The boy taps his foot impatiently as the pink-haired girl thinks. Realizing that he won't be getting an answer anytime soon, he coughs lightly. "Well, if you're going to just stand there, I think I'll be closing the door. You _are_ letting in all the cold air-"

Sakura stops it with a jerk of her hand. "I'm coming in! I hope I'm not a bother."

The brunette mumbles something in a quick breath and hastily closes the door. "Hinata-sama is upstairs, but please be quiet."

The hallwas is filled with beautiful paintings of multiple cranes and swans, and Japanese symbols dances everywhere. Stepping quietly, she hauls the bags up the stairs.

"Hinata?" she whisper-shouts, peering into the first room she sees. Nope. Just black. The next. Nope. The next, the next, the next...

Due to her luck, it's the last one she opens.

"Hinata?" Sakura shouts, not whispering anymore. Pale eyes shoot open in panic. A figure tumbles onto the floor.

"D-Don't hurt m-me..." Hinata whimpers, cowering onto the bed. She shrinks down even more when Sakura turns on the lights and drops the plastic bags onto the floor.

"It's just me," Sakura says, sliding down onto the floor next to her trembling friend. Hinata fumbles with her fingers, which brush through her hair occasionally.

"S-Sorry..."

Sakura shrugs and pushes the largest plastic bag toward her. "Here. Me and Naruto got it for you."

While Hinata busies herself by digging through the contents of the bag, Sakura scans her up and down for signs of sickness. Just a bit of drowsiness, anxiety, confusion... Nothing other than that. No heat waves directing from her body, or any shivers. Her eyes look so dead. So _dead._

"Hinata, do you have a cold?"

"A-Ah, s-something like that, yes."

As far as Sakura can hear, Hinata's not lying. "Oh. Okay," Sakura says lamely. She continues to observe the girl.

Hinata's blurred eyes turn a bit hopeful. "D-Did Naruto ask about me?"

Sakura bites her lip, nervous at the gleam in Hinata's eyes. "Yes. He did."

Hinata's face breaks out into a glowing smile.

* * *

><p>Sakura returns home, covering herself from the icy wind that has turned the rain into snow. Cursing under her breath, she tries to open the door, but finds it frozen shut.<p>

_Damn it damn it damn it..._

Taking a deep breath, she sets down the other grocery bag and backs away from the door. She runs toward it at full speed, and kicks it multiple times, causing 'crack' sounds.

The door budges, but only barely.

She catches her breath for a moment, puffs of white streaming out of her mouth at a rapid pace.

There's a click. And another. As if someone is trying to get out from the inside. But that's impossible.

The doorknob turns by itself, slowly, dramatically. Sakura stares in wonder as it rattles, whatever is in there trying to get out. Ghosts can just float through the walls, can't they?

Apparently not, for a hard slam from the other side shakes the door entirely. Snow falls from the roof with a soft thump, some clumps almost landing on her head.

"Hey!"

The slams stop. The doorknob turns again, and, if possible, even slower than before. It opens with a slowcreak.

It's not a ghost after all, but Sakura would've rather met a ghost than what _is_ there.

"Hm."

_Smug._ Sakura observes, not knowing what to think by the fact that this... _boy_ is in her house, trespassing, and seems perfectly calm about it.; like _she's_ the visitor.

Then again, this probably isn't the most dreadful thing he's ever done, judging by his reputation.

Sakura invites herself in (not that she really need to; it's _her_ house_) _and attempts to act like the boy isn't there at all.

But he is, and that makes all the difference.

Finally, the glass brakes. "Gaara," she starts carefully, "What are you _doing_ here?"

He remains indifferent at her accusation. "My sister wanted me to deliver a letter."

Except the fact he found the need to pass _right past her mailbox_ and barge into her house. But his tone is so natural (for Gaara anyways) that Sakura finds herself believing him, just a little bit.

"Did you really have to come into my house for that?"

"You do not seem that troubled about it."

When Gaara realizes he has won, he hands her a small envelope. "Here."

The silence is unbearable.

"You have been avoiding me."

Sakura doesn't deny it either.

"Why?"

"I'm sorry."

_But for what?_

It's not until he's gone that she realizes that the somehow comforting gaze of jade isn't there anymore.

* * *

><p><strong>Ring.<strong>

**It doesn't make a difference.**

_**Ring.**_

**Really, it doesn't matter.**

_**Ring.**_

**Just get out of my mind.**

_**Ring.**_

**Maybe being brave isn't so welcoming after all...**

_**Ring.**_

**If it means having one thing stuck in your head.**

_**Beep.**_

**Just don't**

**Leave**

**A**

**Message...**

**'**_**Hey, Sakura? I heard you visited Hinata today.**_

_**She doesn't look so good.**_

_**Is she okay? **_

_**Gaara didn't answer any of my calls either.**_

_**Are you...is he...**_

_**Sorry.'**_

_**End of message. If you would like to replay the message, please press...**_

**Creak.**

**Exit the door.**

**Cold trumps confusion.**

**Sanity slip away.**

**Just like old times. Nothing but me and stars.**

**"Kept you waiting, didn't I?"**

**I don't say...**_**it**_**. That five-letter word that makes my heart go**

_**Thump**_

_**(noyesnoyesnoyesyesyes)**_

**If the stars could answer...**

**If the stars could answer...**

_**FightfightfightfightFIGHT**_

**'I'm a good girl now, right?'**


	17. Crack in the Walls

__**A/N Wow. This chapter was quick. Thank you to all your wonderful reviews! (Not that I'm doing this for reviews or anything, but I appreciate the time you took into reviewing, even if it's just a quick 'love your story')**

**I won't be updating (well, I don't update anyways :P) much during the summer, since I'm going to LA and I'm moving. I hope to do at least an update every 3 months, but I'm not sure. I appreciate your patience! **

**Many thanks to my beta, who has been beta-ing this story in-between her busy schedule.**

* * *

><p><em>Breaking<em>

_Through_

_The_

* * *

><p><strong>Sakura<strong>

Sakura stops at the traffic lights.

"Concert?"

Naruto nods, a smile lighting up his features. "Yeah! We have one before every break, which is tomorrow. "

Sakura shakes her head. "I know that, but..."

"What else is there to know?" Naruto shrugs and throws his arms into the air lazily, letting them drop to his side with a thump. " Though, for some reason, the high school has to play with the middle school. So that means the concert is only in the evenings. Too bad Gaara isn't coming... He was really excited." Seeing Sakura's questioning look, Naruto adds, "I mean, for him. I've heard him play; he's not bad."

_Not bad. _An understatement, at the best.

She thinks that everyone is a victim of multiple personality disorder. Really. And what's even worse; she can actually back up this statement with evidence.

But enough of that.

"How do you know he's not coming?"

"Saw him yesterday with the orchestra director-or-whatever-it-was-called. That's why I'm not going to the concert today," Naruto pauses, making way for a loud yawn. "It doesn't seem as good without him."

"Really?" Sakura asks in what she hopes is a uninterested tone.

"Yeah. Two years ago, he didn't show up and the whole orchestra completely fell apart. I mean, it just felt that way, to me at least. The light or something." Sakura does that questioning look at him again, and he stutters, "H-Hey! I'm not a musician! I don't know that kind of stuff!"

Not knowing that much about music herself, she can't retort back. Instead, she focuses on the road ahead.

"Don't you have to take a turn to get to your house?"

"I'm going somewhere else." Because there's nothing waiting for her at home anyways.

Naruto shrugs. He slows down a bit and starts kicking at decaying leaves left astray on the road. "I think I'll visit Kiba. He asked me to come over, so."

Then he starts talking to her (himself), talking about little details in his life that she doesn't really care for. But, trying to be a good friend, she tries to listen attentively. However, most of her attention is focused on the stars that drift by, light and floaty. Smaller and blurrier than she remembered; she hasn't paid much attention them either.

"Hey, that's the way to Gaara's house."

Naruto's sharp tone snaps her out of her daydream. "Sorry, what?"

"Why are you going to Gaara's house?" Naruto asks, eyes wide and innocent. (_Not really because it's Naruto and he's never innocent_)

"Just...Temari gave me a note."

_You haven't even opened it._

Naruto waves to her dismissively. "Well, if you have things to do...See ya Sakura!"

* * *

><p><strong>Bye.<strong>

**Of course, I don't say.**

**If I'm lucky...**

**I'll go to a little concert of my own today.**

**So **_**happy**_**.**

**I really can't tell. **

**But, to go to a special concert,**

**You have to enter in a special way.**

**No, not the door.**

**Well, **_**yes**_**, the door, but not **_**that**_** door.**

**I'd rather save the trouble.**

**As expected (pureluck) the door is open. **

**"Temari?"**

**Hushed silence.**

**Careful, don't trip and fall.**

**No one there, it seems.**

**"Hello? Anyone?"**

**Wait. There's something off.**

**Turn.**

**"**_**Kya!"**_

**Jade stares blankly. Comforting? Maybe.**

**Not really, no.**

**"Have you been watching me the whole time?"**

**Blink.**

**"Weird."**

**Did I say that out loud?**

**Eyes narrowed, on the defensive. Standing up slowly, analyzing situation.**

**"Temari's not home."**

**Stating the obvious.**

**"I thought you didn't want to see me?"**

**"I never avoided you-"**

**"If you don't want to be here, leave."**

**I hate that he's right.**

**"Is this about the letter?"**

**"Concert."**

**Stupidstupid**_**stupid.**_

_**Ismyfacegoingrednoitisn'tcan'tbeno.**_

**It isn't.**

**"Con...cert? When did you hear about that?"**

**"Tenten."**

**Cat eye slits. "I see."**

**I should say **_**something**_** more. I know it.**

**But what?**

**"Um...I heard you were good."**

**His eyes inspect me again.**

**"What are you implying?"**

**Does that mean,**

**'What are you planning'**

**Or**

**'What are you trying to do'**

**Or**

**'What do you mean'.**

**I can't, don't, understand.**

**Nobody really does, though.**

**"That I want to hear you play. Naruto said-"**

**I can hear him hissing under his breath.**

**Eyes foggy.**

**"I'll go, if you don't want to be bothered."**

**My voice, a bit too loud, probably.**

**Eyes clear.**

**"Were you planning to go to the concert?"**

**Shrug. "Naruto said it wouldn't be the same without you."**

**(All about him, I **_**see**_**)**

_**Not about him. No.**_

_**HA.**_

**That's what he says.**

**"Naruto."**

**Bitter. Uncomfortable.**

**Violin lying on bare ground.**

_**Just noticed?**_

**More silence. Eyes shift to the instrument. It feels smooth and cold. He doesn't object.**

_**Twang.**_

**The sound is rough and scratchy. Hurts my ears, and his as well, judging from his expression.**

**A flare in his jade pools. Flare of hope in my heart.**

_**Twing, twang, twling, twack**_

**"You're horrible."**

**It's more of a statement than him trying to be rude.**

**I hand him the violin and**

**He grabs it**

**And**

**Starts to play.**

**It's a flowing river**

**Almost**

**Better than one, I say.**

**It's honey to my ears.**

**He blinks at my awed expression**

**And the corners**

**Of his mouth**

**Twitch up.**

**"Jealous?"**

**"Hardly."**

**I can't help**

**Bursting into giggles**

**Out of pure joy**

**Of hearing that **_**sweet**_** melody.**

**Short,**

**But amazing.**

**Fog in his eyes**

**Clear**

**A bit.**

**Maybe I can venture**

**Into further territory?**

**"It would have been great if you could've made it to the concert."**

**The light**

**Is gone.**

**One**

**Flat**

**Word**

**"Maybe."**

**(Can you hear it?)**

_**Hear the wall shatter?**_

* * *

><p><strong>Gaara<strong>

He's heard of miracles of having to do with music, the rumors that say that a person's heart is healed if they hear true music.

He can't help but wonder, _does laughter count as music?_

In his world, it might(does).

_She_ made all those years of isolation and silence... break?

It scares him.

This is the reason he drops his violin onto the floor, not caring about the crack it makes, nor the damage it has taken. He just wants her _out out out_

**(So **_**scared; **_**what's the matter?)**

She takes a step back, her eyes reflecting the exact fear he is feeling right in his face, and that only makes him more afraid. His chest expands and contracts as he does his best to calm himself. Now every word she had said, every action she had done jumbles around in his mind, trying to rearrange themselves in a way so he can understand _whywhywhy_

But for a boy that has never known compassion, that is trying to achieve the impossible.

_ScaredAfraidFearhelphelpehelp_

_**'You'll never be loved.'**_

He pushes the confusion, fear, anger away; wipes it clean as he had always done. Sakura relaxes when she sees the visible tension fade.

But it doesn't last when she sees the tight clench of his fists.

"Why..." A deep breath. "Are you here?"

_I want to hear you play._

It's like a knife in the soul.

"I wanted to hear you...I'm glad I did."

A sharp intake of breath he manages to pass off as a flinch. And he knows it was never about Naruto.

"...Is Sasuke okay?"

Shukaku roars (no surprise) and Sakura stares at him as if he's grown cat ears.

**'SOFTYSOFTYSOFTSOFTSOFT'**

"He's fine, he'll be back in school soon. Why?"

Instead of giving her an answer, he slumps to the ground to inspect his violin, and almost sighs in relief when there's not even a scratch on it.

Sakura looks at the skylight, where pale light is streaming through, indicating the falling of the sun. "I'd better go."

He only replies with a tiny tip of his head.

There's silence, and not the hurried footsteps he was expecting.

"Thank you."

His head jerks up, his jade eyes scanning. But she's already gone.

It might have been the wind.

?


End file.
